Flower Delivery

Has it been warm this winter where you are? Reports on the news showed some of Washington DC’s famous cherry blossoms sprouting flowers abnormally early this year. Could the annual spring festival be in danger?

There’s no need to panic, at least not yet.

The chief horticulturist for the National Park Service says even when it gets warm during the day, temperatures still drop down at night. Rob DeFeo says that helps stop the trees from blooming early.

DeFeo says the 3,700 cherry trees around the Tidal Basin and Washington Monument will still bloom this spring.

The National Weather Service (website – news) says there were 16 days in January with temperatures in the 50s and 60s.

The National Cherry Blossom Festival this year is scheduled for March 25 to April 9.

It is important to know the conditions and cultures under which azaleas grow properly. You are to know what the proper place and time would be for planting azaleas. Its growth directly depends o­n both the factors.

Let us talk about the exposure azaleas prefer. Cool and shaded places are good for azaleas. It grows better under the light shadows of pine trees. It won’t be prudent to plant them under thick shadows. There are a few varieties that can grow under the direct sun and dry winds. But in general, most of the species prefer shady locations.

Azaleas requires soil to be acidic [4.5 to 6 pH), well drained, and less moisturized soil. Test the soil before planting azaleas and try to maintain the pH acidic as required for the best plant and flowers. Azaleas plants when planted in poorly drained areas they do not get sufficient oxygen for their growth and flowering. It damages roots too. If the area is not well drained, put decomposed barks of pine trees and then plant azaleas. It will serve the purpose.

Layering of materials usually leaves, grass, clippings etc. put around the plants to protect them. In case of azaleas, layering of 2- to 3 inch is required. It has utilities like conservation of soil moisture, temperature, and protecting the plants from weeds. You can use decomposed materials of vegetables or grass etc. While layering, take care of the stem of the plant not being dumped o­n.

Precautions are the part of azalea plantation. Its roots do not go deep into the ground. Therefore, it requires irrigation during dry season. In dry regions watering azaleas regularly is very important. It is also important to know when to irrigate the plants. Dig an area near to the plant and see the moisture of the soil. If you find the soil dry, put water sufficiently around the plants. You are to know how to irrigate the plants. Drip irrigation is better than overhead irrigation. Overhead irrigation may make the plants vulnerable to diseases. Water logging is also not good for the plants.

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Wondering what special flowers to plant this year? How about the Plant of the Year?The Perennial Plant Association (PPA) has named Dianthus gratianopolitanus ‘Feuerhexe’ (Firewitch) the 2006 Perennial Plant of the Year.

Cheddar pink is the common name of this sun exposure perennial. It is an evergreen selection with bluish-gray, slivery foliage and purplish-pink, fragrant flowers in mid-spring. Rebloom can occur in the summer and into the fall. Firewitch is hardy from Zones 3-9. Mature mats of this cheddar pink have foliage 3-4 inches tall and 6-12 inches wide. The flowers reach 6-8 inches high. This evergreen perennial performs best in full sun in well-drained soils.

“The Perennial Plant of the Year Program helps consumers select plants that perennial industry experts find to be outstanding and easily grown,” said Steven Still, executive director of the PPA. “The homeowners can have great confidence that the Perennial Plant of the Year will grow well in the garden.”

The Perennial Plant of the Year Program was initiated in 1990. Each year, members of the PPA select a perennial that is suitable for a wide range of climate types, low maintenance, easily propagated and exhibits multi-seasonal interest.

For more information on the PPA visit http://www.perennialplant.org/. Specific culture information for Firewitch can be found at http://www.gpnmag.com/ by searching the article archive for Firewitch.

If you enjoyed the Orchid Thief, or the movie Adaptation, this story from the Independent in the UK will surely interest you:

They have always been the most glamorous, exotic flowers on earth; now they are the most at risk. And just why orchids are the world’s most threatened plants has become dramatically clear with the jailing of a senior scientist at a British company who was an ardent orchid collector – and smuggler.

The attempt by Dr Sian Lim to bring more than 100 orchid specimens into Britain illegally from his native Malaysia involved some that are on the brink of extinction in the wild – specifically because of collectors.

Lim, from Putney, south London, head of research and development at Medpharm, a drugs company, was caught at Heathrow in June 2004. He was sentenced to four months in jail at Isleworth Crown Court in west London after admitting 13 charges of smuggling plants that are protected by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (Cites). Some specimens can change hands for thousands of pounds. Customs officials and plant conservationists who examined his haul discovered that 126 plants of the 130 they seized from his luggage were all Asian slipper orchids – one of the rarest of all the 750 orchid genera, or groups of species. They are distinguished by a voluptuous lower petal, or lip, and are closely related to Britain’s rarest wild flower, the lady’s slipper. This orchid survived as just one plant, guarded round the clock in a secret location, until recently after British collectors nearly wiped it out. It has now been planted elsewhere. Some Asian slipper orchids, including ones in Lim’s haul, are only known from a single location. Others may now be extinct in the wild, within a few short years of being discovered, such have been the plant-hunters’ activities.

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Pruning roses can be quite a controversial topic. Everyone seems to have a different opinion. Some even feel it is not necessary to prune rose plants at all-just let nature takes care of things. While this may work, pruning your roses in a more controlled manner will give you much nicer roses.

Become familiar with your variety of roses and what works best for them, get the right equipment and prepare to get your rose plants in top condition for good health and
beauty.

When is the Best Time?

Many people opt to prune their rose plants in the winter. Others just do enough to fit the protective coverings over them and then wait until the spring to do the heavy pruning. Either way, it is best to prune your rose plants while they are dormant.

The key to pruning roses is to remove the dead canes. Sometimes it is hard to determine if a brown cane is dead or not. Start by cutting at the tips, a few inches at a time. Keep cutting until the center of the cane looks white instead of brown. The white indicates life. After removing the dead canes, try to work o­n the shape by cutting all canes back to about 18 inches. You also want to remove any twiggy, dense growth as well as canes that cross and rub against each other. Your goal in pruning should be to regain a compact shape in the plant and also to open up the center to allow sunlight and air circulation to reach themiddle of the plant.

Where o­n the Cane do I Cut?

In addition to knowing what to prune off, you need to know where to prune. If you are cutting a cane back partway, cut it back to an outward-facing dormant bud. Look at your
plant. Notice that a number of leaflets make up each leaf. It is always an odd number. If you cut the stem just above one of the leaves, a bud will soon appear where that leaf joins the main stem. Look for outward facing leaves. If you cut there, the bud and the new branch that will develop will also be outward facing. When cutting roses to take indoors, also cut back to a leaf with five leaflets facing outward.

How Do I Make the Cut?

Now that you know what to cut and where to cut, you need to
know how to cut. Always make your cuts o­n a slant. This
will encourage the water to drain off the cut. You will
need to coat large cuts with a commercial plant wound
sealer. Shellac or nail polish can also work to coat a
large cut.

Is Deadheading Worth It?

Deadheading your rose plants is well worth the effort. This
task can extend your blooming season. To deadhead your
plant, cut back a branch to an outward-facing bud that is
above five leaflets. You can also enhance the looks of your
rose plants by removing faded blooms. Remove them even if
there are other buds in a cluster still producing flowers.

Tool’s for the Job

When pruning your rose plants, use quality tools with sharp
blades. Depending o­n the size of your rose plant, you will
need a hand pruner, such as the Heavy Duty Rose Pruner
(catalog no. HP-120DX) and/or a long-handled lopper, such
as the 17-inch Lopping Shears with 1.3-inch cutting
capacity (catalog no. LP-LP10). Always wear gloves to
protect your hands from the sharp thorns.

Always choose professional-quality ARS products from
Orchard’s EDGE for all of your pruning projects. Orchard’s
EDGE will give you a sharp blade to avoid ragged or torn
bark. ARS tools are well known in the horticulture
industry. No manufacturer can match the ARS Marquench-
hardened steel blades that are hard chrome-plated for extra
toughness and rust resistance. Making cutting tools in
Japan since 1876, ARS is the leader in ultimate cutting
performance.

More Resources from Orchard’s Edge:

For more information o­n pruning roses, check out our other
articles o­n this topic: “Pruning Roses,” and “Ten
Principles of Rose Pruning.”

To get your rose plants in the best condition to produce
beautiful flowers, determine when the plant is dormant.
Always make slanted cuts above a five-leaflet outward
facing leaf. Deadhead the plants to extend their blooming
season. Arm yourself with the proper, quality tools, and
you’re o­n your way to a great rose season!

Kay DiVerde is a freelance writer, horticultural researcher
and consultant for Orchard’s Edge. DiVerde also writes for
a variety of newsletters and publications in the Midwest.

by Kay DiVerde
http://www.orchardsedge.com/
This article courtesy of http://www.premroses.com.
You may freely reprint this article o­n your website or in
your newsletter provided this courtesy notice and the author
name and URL remain intact.