Best Tips For Growing Celosia at Home

Celosia plants are identified by unusual silky flower appearance and color.  Some species blooms are velvety crested type similar to cockscombs and others shaped like plumes or spikes.  This is the reason Celosias commonly called as wooflowers or cockscombs.  Height ranges from 6 – 36 inches.  Flowers are available in red, pink, orange, purple,  yellow and white.  Generally blooms in mid- summer to mid fall. Since Celosia flower head is consists of many small flowers, they produce a large number of small seeds which keep sprouting in container itself and sometimes take over the nearby containers too. Grow this annual at your home gardens to add color and make it to look silky.

Propagation

Celosias are grown from seeds. Collect the seeds from existing plant and sow them in warmer season. It will take around 10 -14 days to germinate. Thin out the sprouts to keep minimum distance of 8 inches. 

Container

Use small to medium sized container. Put pieces of small rocks or bricks on drainage holes of container. This will facilitate smooth drainage of water out of the container.  Keep the container in the place where it can get good amount of sunlight.

Soil

Celosia can grow in nutrient deficient soil too but soil enriched with organic matter will result in good blooming.  Use sandy loam soil mixed with organic matter.  Add leaf mold, peat, cow manure and compost to enrich the soil. 

Sun /Temperature

Celosia is warm and humidity loving annual. It thrives in full sun.  It require minimum of 8 hrs of direct sunlight.  

Watering

Celosia thrives in humid condition. Keep the container soil / potting mix moist, do not let it dry. Mist it alternate days to maintain humidity around it. Avoid water logging the soil as it will induce root rot.

Fertilizer

Fertilizer is not required for Celosia as such. Soil enriched with organic matter is enough.  However if you want then use slow release granular fertilizer or liquid fertilizer diluted in water once a month. 

Caring

Tie the flower heads on stakes to keep them from falling over as flower head becomes heavy comparatively to stem.

Best Tips For Growing Allamanda at Home

Allamanda,  popularly known as Golden Trumpet is a perennial shrub thriving in warmth and moisture. As shrub Allamanda grows very thick and get covered with yellow bell shaped   3 – 4 inches long blooms in growing season . Although it doesn’t have tendrils to climb but provided support can grow as vine too. Here one need to take precaution while growing Allamanda indoors as it is poisonous to humans. It whitish sap ( produced on cut) proved to be allergic and purgative. 

Propagation

Allamanda is propagated from stem cuttings.  Take a 3-4 ΄΄ long young stem cuttings having two or more buds on it.  Strip off the leaves from lower half of the cutting. While choosing stem cutting make sure it doesn’t have any visible damage. Dip the cuttings in rooting hormone to make rooting process faster. Or you can dip the cuttings simply in water mixed with 2-3 drops of liquid fertilizer. Now make a 1-2 ΄΄ hole in container soil with help of pencil or any other object and insert the cuttings. Cover the container with plastic bag to retain moisture and humidity around the cuttings. Transplant the cuttings in larger container / pot once rooted.

Container / Pot

Allamanda is a bushy nature plant, large sized container is preferable as the plant gets heavy with the time. You may need to repot it every year. Regardless of size , make sure container has drainage holes at bottom to ensure smooth drainage of water. Put stone or brick pieces on the holes. 

Soil

Garden soil or black soil enriched with good amount of humus content will work. Soil should have good drainage property. 

Sun / Temperature

As mentioned earlier, Allamanda likes a lot of warmth and humid. They thrive in full to partial sun. To maintain moisture mist them every other day. Adequate light is required for blooming.

Watering

Water liberally throughout the summer.  Also mist it every other day to maintain moisture. Cut down watering in winter.

Fertilizer

Feed the plant with liquid fertilizer in growing season and cut it down to once a month in winter.

Caring

Watch for mealybugs and aphids. 

Pruning

Allamanda grows very rapidly and needs pruning due to its bushy nature. Also pruning increases air circulation in plant required for good growth.

Will be updating you once it's growing season starts. Find tips on growing other beautiful plants like Dahlia. 

Best Tips For Growing Dieffenbachia

Dieffenbachia is one popular houseplant which is known for its variegated attractive foliage. Commonly known as Dumb cane plant because it’s leaves contain calcium oxalate crystals when chewed  , causes tongue and throat to swell up. So the plant should be kept away from pets. Wear gloves  while handling it.  Provided good care it can live from 3 to 15 years. Follow below tips for  best results.

Propagation

Dieffenbachia is propagated form cane ( stem ) cuttings.  Cut the 3-5 ΄΄ long   top off the cane. Cane cutting should have at least 2 nodes ( it increases odd of success ). Strip off all leaves but two or three. Dry the cutting and try to root in a water. Keep changing water regularly to prevent any bacterial growth. You can add some drops of liquid fertilizer to  promote rooting. Once the cutting has taken roots, transplant it in other container . pot with regular potting mix.

Another way is to cut off the cane leaving 6 ΄΄ piece of the trunk on the parent plant. Remove the foliage from the cutting. Cut the cane in small 2 ΄΄ long pieces. These pieces should have an eye ( node / junction ). Lay the cane pieces horizontally on the soil and slightly push them in having small buds facing upwards. Make sure half diameter of the cutting is covered with potting mix.  Mist the mix so that cutting medium remains constantly moist. Check for roots after three to six weeks.

Container

Use well drained container or pot. Put small pieces of bricks or stones on drainage holes to ensure good drainage.

Soil

Use well drained regular potting mix . One can use red gardening soil too.

Sun / Temperature

Dieffenbachia thrives in indirect filtered light. Keep the temperature between 18 -24 ° C. Direct sun light will result in scorched leaves.  In absence of enough sun light plant leaves may lost its variegation.

Watering

Water regularly as sporadic watering can result in brown leaves. Keep soil moist.

Fertilizer

Feed once every two weeks. Cut down feeding to once in a month from September to February. Too much fertilizing can result in crispy , curled leaves. Flush soil with clean water to wash away any accumulated fertilizer. Wait a month before feeding again.

Best Tips For Growing Dahlia at Home

Dahlia is a widely popular and a beautiful addition to any garden. They come in different colors , sizes and bloom types. Generally blooms from midsummer to winter. So you can enjoy its beauty around 8 months of the year. Dahlia can be grown from tubers easily. Follow below tips for better results.

Propagation

Propagated from seeds and tubers ( Inflated roots due to food storage) . But tubers are good option of propagation and odds of success are high in this case.  Plant the tubers around Mid April – Mid May in sunny location.  Tubers should contain a growing point, it is also called as an eye. Face eye upward and plant it 4-6 inch deep  in well drained soil. Keep the soil moist. Don’t water  the tubers right after planting as it encourages rot. Water regularly after new growth reaches at least 6 inches. Dahlia is heavy feeders so use good compost mix in soil. Use snail and slug bait to protect new sprouts.

You can propagate it from seeds too.

Container

Choose container size on basis of your plant variety. Mid to large size container for tall growing type. Small container will do for small size variety. But the container should have good drainage facility as standing water can cause tuber rot.

Soil

Use garden soil with good amount of compost mix. Dahlia thrives in well drained humus rich soil. Add in sand, peat moss or bagged steer manure to lighten or loosen soil texture for better results. pH level of soil should be slightly acidic around 6.5 to 7.0.

Sun / Temperature

Place container at direct sunlight site. It requires 6-8 hours of sun to grow more blooms. 

Watering

Dahlia has high water demand. Water it regularly, increase  in hot months and dryer climate. Dahlia blooms after 8 weeks of planting in Mid July.  Start watering right after that. Blooming depends much on proper watering.

Fertilizer

Feed plant with  liquid fertilizer  such as used for vegetables or use low nitrogen fertilizer as 5-10-10 , 10-20-20 or 0-20-20 to encourage good quality bloom and growth. Avoid high nitrogen based fertilizer as it will promote weak stem and small blooms or no blooms.

Staking

When plant is 3 feet or more taller use metal rods, tomatoes cage for staking.