Feeding your Plants

Could you survive on water and sunshine alone?  Yes, but not for long and you would slowly wither and die.  This is the unfortunate fate of many plants who are adopted by well-meaning gardeners who don't understand how to properly cultivate plants.

As Dorothy Parker once said,  "You can lead a horticulture, but you can't make her think!" 

 Just like people, plants cannot survive on water and sunshine alone.  Plants need the proper nutrition to grow and flourish.  Most over the counter potting soils contain nutrients for plant growth.   Beginning gardeners often think this is sufficient, but read the label carefully.  The potting soil mixes generally contain plant nutrients for the first three months only.  If you overwater your plants or they experience a heavy rainfall, the nutrients may be flushed out of the soil even sooner.  The soil manufacturer can only guess at what you might plant in the soil, as a result they have added a generic fertilizer which would apply to many plants and flowers. 

Most over the counter fertilizers contain a mixture of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium.  The numbers on a bag of fertilizer tell you the percentages of available nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium found in the bag. A bag of 12-8-10 fertilizer has 12-percent nitrogen, 8-percent phosphorous and 10-percent potassium.  Different plants prefer different concentrations of each of these three ingredients and like to be fed at different intervals.  If you don't know the percentages you are looking for, look for a fertilizer tailored to the type of plant you intend to grow.  You will find fertilizer for roses, orchids and many common plants in your local garden center with specific instructions about how to administer and how often to feed that type of plant. 

You will also find organic and inorganic fertilizer.  Inorganic fertilizer is produced in a lab.  They typically synthesize nitrogen from coal or natural gas.  They acquire phosphorus and potassium from mines.  Since these resources are in limited supply, many believe it is better to use organic fertilizer.  Organic fertilizer is not synthesized in a lab.  It is a blend of organically produced fertilizers with the main ingredient typically being manure or compost.  Organic fertilizer can be smelly, so it is tricky to use in a container garden in an enclosed environment.  If you are a hard-core environmentalist you can learn to make your own fertilizer, but be prepared to devote a sheltered area to stewing manure for months at a time.

I live in a condo and have no proper area for creating fertilizer.  As a beginner, I think it's best to start with over-the-counter fertilizer.  I have purchased some food for my Bougainvillea and will let you know how it goes.

Yellow leaves in my Cilantro Plant

As I was harvesting my Cilantro for some slow cook bean soup, I noticed that the leaves in the lower part were starting to yellow.

I researched the problem and found that yellow leaves in cilantro can mean several things.  Generally when leaves turn yellow in a plant it means that you are overwatering.  However in cilantro, yellow leaves can mean either overwatering or underwatering. When I felt the soil, it felt dry so I decided the problem must be underwatering.  Cilantro is in the parsley family and needs a lot of water in well draining soil.  I have heard that cilantro is very selective about its environment.  In the right conditions it can thrive, but in the wrong conditions there is little you can do to keep it alive.   I am hoping that my balcony provides the right conditions for cilantro.  We will find out.

White Worms on my Bougainvillea!

I found something very disturbing on my bougainvillea this morning...white worms.  I'm sure they weren't there yesterday and this morning they were everywhere.  At first I panicked and cut off the branch I found them on.  Upon closer inspection I realized that they weren't just on the one branch, but throughout the plant.  I had a full scale insect invasion on my hands in the course of one day.

 One of the things I find most puzzling about this is that my balcony garden is entirely screened in.  This gives me the advantage of not falling victim to the usual pests.  The attack came from inside.  I did a little research and found that bougainvillea are very pest resilient.  In fact, the only pest bougainvillea commonly fall victim to are insect larvae.  One of the most common insect larvae that materializes in the form a small white worm is fungus gnat larvae.  Ah-ha!  Those @!?# fungus gnats that arrived on my greek oregano appear to have launched a second wave of attack on my balcony garden.

The fungus gnats arrived on a greek oregano plant I purchased from a nursery and I have been trying to eradicate them ever since.  I was told that these gnats need moist soil to survive, so the obvious solution was to stop watering.  Of course the other thing that needs wet soil to survive is my plants, causing a paradox.  The self imposed drought made many of plants wilt, but the fungus gnats persisted.  They didn't seem to be eating any of the plant leaves and their numbers seemed to be declining.  In the end, I decided I could live with a few gnats.  This was an error.

The fungus gnats appeared to have laid insect larvae on my bougainvillea and now the white worms are attacking my bougainvillea.  This means war!  The easiest and most environmentally friendly solution is a homemade insecticidal soap.  Mix 1-1/2 teaspoons of Dawn detergent with 1 quart water.  It is important to use the purest water possible.  Hard water will reduce the effectiveness of this mixture.  spray the solution on the leaves of your infected plant.  This is best to do in the shade or late afternoon, as the sun can scorch freshly sprayed leaves.  I've been told that this solution works well on soft bodied pests, though it may require multiple applications.  I sprayed both bougainvillea this morning and will continue to apply until my gnat larvae have been eradicated.

Clearly leaving the fungus gnats in the garden was a mistake.  I will research ways to get rid of them that don't include parching my plants.  I hate to use harsh chemicals on my herb garden, because I eat these.  If you have any ideas, let me know. 

Purple Flower on Mint lends a Clue to its Identity

There are 25 different varieties of mint.  When you go to your local nursery, they will often simply label the plant as mint.  If you are fortunate, they will include the tag with the latin name which will pinpoint the exact variety of mint.  If you are not, you may have to do a little detective work.  I photographed the leaves and looked at different varieties of mint online to try to find a match, but the leaves of the mint plant are very similar and I did not find my answer.  Today, however, I found something that unlocked the secret of my mint variety.  As I was watering, I noticed a tiny purple flower.

A search on the internet looking for this type of flower growing on a mint plant leads me to believe that this may be Menta Arvensis this is commonly referred to as "wild mint" and has pale purple or white flowers.  The leaves can be used to flavor tea or sauces.  Wild mint is a perennial plant.  A perennial plant lives for more than two years, as opposed to annual plants which live through the course of a year and must be replanted at the end of the year.  Mint tends to spread with invasive vines that can take over a garden if planted in the ground.  It is perfect for a hanging pot in my container garden.   I hope to have many more flowers and lush vines of mint.

Does Drying out the Soil Kill Soil Gnats or Just the Plant?

When I brought home my new Greek Oregano from the local farmer's market, I noticed it was infested with soil gnats.  I read that the soil gnats could only live in soil that was moist and a good solution would be to let the top few inches of soil dry out completely.  The gnats should die off without wet soil.
  I followed this advice and stopped watering my greek oregano.  The soil felt dry to the touch and the plant was doing fine.  The only problem was that the soil gnats didn't die.  Today I noticed that my Greek Oregano had wilted leaves.  If you look at the photo below you can see how the leaves on the lower left branch are beginning to wilt.  This is a sign that I need to water it.

I watered today in order to save my Greek Oregano plant.  It appears that it takes more than drying out the plants to eliminate soil gnats.  If anyone has any other ideas, I'd love to hear your solutions.

New Jalepeno Chili Pepper Plant

Jalepeno Chili Peppers can be grown in your balcony garden.  The jalepeno plant loves full sunshine and lots of water.  I've just added a new jalepeno pepper plant to my balcony herb garden.

When you see a bright white blossom on your chili pepper plant, you will soon have a bright green pepper.  In the photo below you will see white bell shaped flowers.  The flower will begin to brown and shrivel and a green pepper will grow from the flower head.  In the photo below you can see one flower has browned and a tiny green pepper is emerging from the center. 

The peppers will vary in size from 1-4 inches and can be picked when they turn a glossy green.  Peppers will darken and ripen to a bright red color.  In the photo below you can see some larger peppers growing on the vine.  These are all growing on my new jalepeno plant which is no more than three feet high.

When using the peppers slice in half, remove the stems and seeds and chop up to add a peppery kick to any mexican dish.  I love them in turkey chili and homemade guacamole.  I've read that it takes 3-4 months to grow a new crop of peppers.   I will be anxious to see how well the jalepeno plant does in my balcony garden.

Fresh Cilantro in my Herb Garden

As I was looking for organic vegetables in my favorite farmer's market, I noticed a large cluster of cilantro walking towards me.  Nearly a foot wide and 8" tall, the cilantro had somehow sprouted arms and legs and was literally walking towards me.  As it approached, a face appeared behind the large plant.  It was my husband, he had picked out the plant for my herb garden and was bringing to the counter to buy for me.  I was thrilled. 

Cilantro is a wonderfully bright herb that goes well with so many dishes.  My husband makes a wonderful turkey chili with cilantro.  It's also great in salsa and adds a bright touch to many Mexican dishes.  I use it regularly, so I was pleased to have such a large plant to start.  Cilantro loves sunshine and water.  I have plenty of both so I I hope to have good fortune with my new cilantro plant. 

Uninvited Gnats on my Greek Oregano

The nursery that grew my Greek Oregano gave me a wonderful full plant with lots of promising young shoots.  They also gave me scores of tiny gnats which I discovered the first time I watered my new plant.  These tiny insects fly up from the soil when watering and hover around the plant.  I am concerned not only for my Greek Oregano, but that these insects might spread to other plants in my balcony garden.  I did a little research on my uninvited guests and found a solution that seems to easy to be true.

My unwelcome garden pests appear to be soil or fungus gnats.  They live in moist plant soil and are attracted to moisture.  They often occur in plants that have been overwatered.  My gardening consultant advised me to stop watering and allow the top layer of the plants to dry out  completely.  As long as the leaves of the plants are not wilting this will not harm the plant.  The fungus gnats will be unable to survive in dry soil.  They have short life spans and should soon die off.

I was also warned to cover anything moist that might serve as a new home for these uninvited pests.  The gnats will often relocate to a houseplant or a cat litter box in an effort to sustain themselves.  If this solution works it will be an easy way to get rid of the fungus gnats.  Since most of my plants require little water and are drought tolerant, it should work fine.  One wrinkle in this well-laid plan is that the weather predicts thunderstorms and rain for the next few days.  It tends to rain in on my balcony, so it may take a few days longer to banish these water loving pests than predicted. 

Problem Pest:  Soil or Fungus Gnats
Solution:  Stop Watering.  Allow top layer of soil to dry out.  Gnats will die off quickly.

A Tale of Two Oregano

While browsing in a local nursery, a familiar scent caught my attention.  One of my favorite herbs with an unmistakeable scent is oregano.  When I turned to look at the hanging basket of oregano, I was somewhat surprised.  I grow oregano in my hydroponic herb garden and have kept it for years, but this plant did not look like the oregano in my herb garden.  This must be a different variety than my oregano at home.  It was labeled:  Greek Oregano.  As a fan of oregano I found this idea intriguing and purchased the little basket to bring home to my balcony garden.

When I got home I cut a sprig of my oregano and a sprig of the new oregano to compare.

Through research I found that the lighter colored Oregano on the left, also called Wild Sweet Marjoram was a milder oregano used in chicken dishes and in a medley of seasonings.  The Greek Oregano on the right has a sharper taste and is more commonly used in pizza and marinara dishes.  The Greek Oregano smells stronger, has a white fuzz on the leaves and a purple tint, in contrast the Wild Sweet Marjoram is lighter in color has no purple tint and is milder in scent.  Below is close up of an individual leaf of each variety.

 

As you can see the leaf shapes and definition are very similar.  This is the same plant, simply two slightly different varieties.  The biggest visual indicators are the white fuzz on the leaves, the darker color and the purple tint of the Greek Oregano.  I'll experiment cooking with both varieties.

Rosemary is for Remembrance...but is also great with Potatoes.

I recently purchased a small Rosemary plant at my local farmer's market.  I use this herb a lot in cooking and have friends who have large bushes of rosemary growing wild in their yards.  This is a Florida friendly herb and the fragrance is heavenly.  My tiny plant is a mere 5 inches tall, but I am hopeful that with time and care, I can grow this tiny sprig into a large bush.

Rosemary has been used for cooking in the Mediterranean for centuries.  In Shakespeare's Hamlet, Ophelia declares that Rosemary is for remembrance.  It was used as a symbol of remembrance throughout Europe on important occasions such as weddings or significant ceremonies.  Its Latin name, Rosmarinus officinalis, means "dew of the sea."  The fragrance of this herb is wonderful.

I use it with lamb, beef, potatoes and chicken.  Below is one my favorite rosemary recipes from Cooks.com.  I will warn you that while they suggest a cooking time of 30 minutes; this takes an hour in my oven.  Though it's well worth the wait.

ROASTED NEW POTATOES WITH ROSEMARY AND GARLIC

8 red skinned potatoes, about 2 inches long, unpeeled, scrubbed 1 tbsp. fresh rosemary, chopped (1 tsp. crumbled dried) 1 tbsp. olive oil 1 tsp. salt Freshly ground black pepper to taste 2 lg. cloves garlic, coarsely chopped Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Cut potatoes in quarters. Place in bowl and add 1-1/2 teaspoon rosemary or 1/2 teaspoon dried. Pour 2-1/2 teaspoons olive oil over them. Using a rubber spatula, toss them until they are well coated and the rosemary is well distributed. Place them in single layer on heavy baking sheet; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast for 15 minutes, turning every 5 minutes. In small bowl, mix garlic with remaining 1/2 teaspoon oil. Add to potatoes and continue roasting for 10 to 15 minutes or until potatoes are crisp and browned and easily pierced with fork. Transfer to serving dish, season with fresh pepper and remaining 1-1/2 teaspoon rosemary or 1/2 teaspoon dried. Serves 4.

Growing Herbs Hydroponically

I love to cook with fresh herbs, but I'm not always able to grow the herbs I want on my balcony.  The solution is hydroponic gardening.  Hydroponic gardening allows you to grow plants in water and nutrients with no soil and any light conditions.  There are many devices on the market today which make it easy to grow fresh herbs inside your home.  I have been using an Aerogarden and have had several successful crops of fresh herbs.  I would highly recommend it to anyone who has difficult growing conditions.

The Aerogarden 6 is small enough to fit on top of a bookcase, but holds six different kinds of fresh herbs.  The grow light on the top of the unit allows you to grow herbs in any light conditions.  Simply fill with water, add seed pods and nutrients and watch your plants grow.  Every two weeks you will need to add nutrient tablets and refresh the water supply. 

Today is day one of my French Herb Garden.  The tiny clear domes will hold green sprouts in a few weeks.  I have planted:  Chervil, Sorrel, Marseille Basil, Sage, Savory and Parsley.  I will post updated photos as the plants grow.  I have never used Chervil or Sorrel in cooking, but I love French food and can't wait to try them.  If you have any recipes that use any of these herbs feel free to post them. 

A Gift from a Day Hike...Heart Leaf Philodendren

As I was hiking through the woods, I noticed an old friend under a large oak tree.  A Heart Leaf Philodendren stretched for yards under the shade of a tree canopy.  One of the most common houseplants, Philodendren are native to America.  This particular variety is often found in humid tropical forests.  The plant I found is likely a Florida native.    

These leafy vines are prolific in the right conditions and can be grown from cuttings.  I chose a small strand and brought it home to see if I could start a healthy plant from a small vine.  This is a great house plant, because they thrive in low to medium light conditions.  This makes it a challenge for my sunny balcony.  I will either have to find a shady spot or bring it in the house.  If it takes root, I plan to repot it in a hanging planter with flowing vines over the sides.  With one small vine and a lot of hope, I decided to try to root it in a small pot and grow the single vine around a stake.

I have set my sites on another variety of ivy I've often seen on my hikes.  I won't reveal the name of the second variety, but here's a clue.  The color would be a great compliment to my New River Bougainvilla.

Protecting your Plants on Cold Nights

In the past few weeks we've record breaking low temperatures all across the United States.  While South Florida probably experienced some of the mildest temperatures in the country, the cold temperatures were a shock to many of our flora and fauna--including the humans who had to dig out hats and scarves they hadn't worn in years.  Temperatures in South Florida dipped as low as 39 degrees and threatened frost.   Like many South Florida gardeners I was more concerned about how to protect the plants I've worked to so hard to nourish, than finding a matching pair of gloves.  Since these cold temperatures are not typical in South Florida many new gardeners are at a loss as to how to protect their plants from the cold.

First, find out if your plants need protection.  Many plants native to your growing zone will be able to weather a few cold nights, provided there is not a frost.  If it is cold, but there is not a frost, you'll need more information about the types of plants you have and if they are sensitive to temperature changes.  You should always keep the tag on the plants when you buy them, these usually indicate cold hardiness and recommended fertilizer.  If you didn't purchase the plant or don't have the tags, it's simple enough to find this information on the internet if you know the name of the plant variety.  My Bougainvilla resent being moved and often object by dropping leaves when there is a dramatic change in their environment.  I've found it is better to leave them outside unless the temperature puts them at serious risk.  Norfolk Island Pine are hardy to temperatures as low as 50 degrees, though I've seen them weather much colder temperatures. 

If the mercury sinks down to a possible frost, you will want to take measures to protect the plants. One of the advantages of a container garden is that it is easy to move the plants inside when the temperatures plummets or hurricane winds start brewing.  Backyard gardeners don't have this same luxury.  However if you've planted in a heavy container or are unable to move your plants inside due to pets, space or time constraints, other options are available.  

Mulching your plants can provide some level of protection against the cold.  Lay 2 inches of mulch on your soil up to the base of the plant.  The mulch acts as a blanket keeping the soil below warmer.  If you use this method be sure to check that when you water it is getting through the layer of mulch.  Of course this only protects the roots and soil from freezing, it won't protect the plant above the surface.  Another option is covering the plant.  Place three stakes in the soil around the plant slightly taller than the plant.  Then cover with a sheet or tarp.  This will act as a tent and protect the plant from frost and cold wind.

If you have questions about your plant varieties.  Feel free to leave a comment and I will help you determine how to best protect your plants from the cold.

A Pine Tree for the Tropics

I received this as a hostess gift for a Christmas party I had.  You've seen them in stores.  It came in a small pot wrapped in red foil.  There were red bows and bells tied to the branches and it served as a table top Christmas tree.  After the holidays, I removed the decorations, repotted to a larger pot and it's been growing ever since.  I keep it in my balcony garden, water it thoroughly once a week, allowing it to drain and mist from time to time.

I've read that this plant is called a Norfolk Island Pine and is native to Norfolk Island in the South Pacific.  They prefer high humidity and enjoy being misted.  They do well in low-light conditions.  They can grow in bright light, but sometimes the bright light fades their color.  If you clip the branches, they will not grow back, so be careful with trimming.  You should only clip brown branches.  The branches on the bottom of the tree will brown naturally and should be removed.

They have a weak root system so be careful when repotting.  If you break too many roots, you'll have to stake the plant to keep it stable until new roots can grow.  I repotted mine just last week and got lucky.  It seems to be doing well.  I've kept this plant on my balcony since December 5, 2009. 

 If you look closely you can see the lighter green tips on the branches indicating new growth.  This plant is healthy and doing well.  It is currently 13" high.  I've read that this plant grows up to 80 feet high in the wild.  Let's see how large we can get it to grow on my South Florida balcony.

Two new bougainvillea for the balcony

I've recently acquired two new bougainvillea plants from the local garden center.  I have seen these colorful Brazilian vines all over South Florida.  The come in a variety of colors including red, magenta, lavender and purple.  I've chosen a purple variety called New River.  They seem to do well in the scorching Florida sun, which can be too harsh for many full sun plants.  They can be trained to grow up a trellis or climb walls and are very beautiful.

Upon bringing them home, I re-potted them in 16" coconut husk containers for drainage.  I then placed these in some decorative planters to elevate them.  I potted them using Scott's garden soil.  I am not sure if this is the best soil for them.  I have read that the roots are drought tolerant and like well draining soil.  I also purchased some bougainvillea fertilizer which I plan to feed them monthly.  The fertilizer is designed especially for bougainvillea and is intended to improve flowering. 

I have been told that bougainvillea don't like changes.  I am concerned because they have been through a lot of changes.  I changed their environment and re-potted them immediately.  It may have been better to let them adjust to their new home before re-potting them.  I will remember this lesson next time.  Along with the rest of the country, Florida has had some unseasonably cold nights in the last few weeks.  We have had temperatures reaching in the mid-forties for the past few nights with the threat of frost.  Bougainvillea are hardy enough to take these temperatures; but they have been dropping leaves, which is a sign of stress.  Hopefully they will recover and adjust to their new home.

You can't always get what you want. Coming to terms with reality.

Have you ever purchased a beautiful plant, gave it water and love only to watch it wither and die?  I know I have.  Such experiences may have led you to believe that you don't have a "green thumb."  The good news is that this is absolutely not true.  Your thumb is just as green as anyone's.  The bad news is that in the words of Mick Jagger:  "You can't always get what you want."

If you live in Maine and attempt to grow a coconut palm on your balcony, it will certainly end in frustration and defeat.  Certain plants simply grow better in certain regions.  The first step in planning your container garden is to determine what types of plants are well suited to your region. 

The National Gardening Association has a helpful map on their website which can tell you which Gardening Zone you are located in.  North America is divided into 11 gardening zones.  Once you know your gardening zone it will be much easier for you to select plants that are native to your zone.  Visit this link and type in your zip code to find your zone. Find my Garden Zone.

As you drive around your neighborhood, begin to notice the landscaping around businesses and homes.  You'll see the same types of plants again and again, because these grow well in your area.  Notice which plants grow well in sunny areas and which grow better in shady areas.

I live in South Florida and my Garden Zone is 10.  I began Googling "Zone 10 Plants" to find out what types of plants grow in my area.  Many of the plants I wanted to grow were not in the zone 10 region, but to continue the Rolling Stones metaphor... "...if you try sometimes, you just might find. You get what you need."  I was looking for color and I have my eye on a couple of bougainvilla that I know will brighten up my balcony.