Thursday, January 26, 2012

Some Flowers Which You Can Grow For Making Bouquets


The purpose of growing flowers is not just to beautify the garden but at the same time, flowers can be grown to make bouquets for indoors. Fresh flowers bouquet creates a refreshing and fragrance atmosphere in your home and brightens your mood. All types of flowers can be used for making floral arrangements but flowers which can be cut easily are best for making bouquets. For growing flowers for making floral arrangements, all you need is to choose right type of flowers and little efforts and planning.
You will first have to decide which type of bouquet you want in your home. Mostly flowers with bright and vibrant colors are preferred for this purpose but if you want to give a romantic and soft feeling, you will require growing tiny and delicate flowers. For floral arrangements, flowers of different colors and sizes are required to be grown. Grow flowers having long and strong stalks which can stand up in a vase. Annual flowers should be selected which are labeled as cut flowers. These flowers provide you with a prolonged blooming period as they re-bloom after initial blooms are withered. Some perennials can also be used for bouquets but they bloom only once and fade away for the rest of year. Here are some flowers which you can grow for making bouquets:
Zinnias are delightful and lovely flowers which come in different colors including red, pink, orange and yellow. They have daisy like blooms making them perfect to be used as cut flowers for bouquets. Zinnias should be planted in a sunny location receiving 6 to 8 hours of sunlight a day. After sowing seeds, cover them lightly with soil and water. Soil should be kept moist until seeds begin to germinate within seven to ten days.
You can also choose sunflowers. These renowned and beautiful flowers also come in different sizes ranging from miniature to towering plants. Sunflowers are generally expected to produce yellow blooms but now the color range has extended to red and burgundy. I will suggest you growing giant sunflowers at a location where they can receive sunlight for majority of day. Seeds should be planted to a depth of ½ inch and covered with soil. You will require keeping soil damp until plant emerges.
What about Shasta daisies? They produce beautiful white flowers with yellow centers. They are commonly used for making bouquets because they can be easily paired with any other flower. To grow Shasta daisies, spread seeds in a sunny location and cover with soil keeping soil damp until seedlings germinate.

Friday, January 6, 2012

Cattleya Orchids Are The Magnificent And The Beautiful Kind Of Orchids In The Orchid Family

Cattleya Orchids are the magnificent and the beautiful kind of Orchids in the Orchid family. The Cattleya Orchid is given name after William Cattleya who was the horticulturist and orchid collector in the 19th century. A lot of Cattleya Orchids grow in the rain forests of Central and South America. They flourish very well in the high altitudes of the Andes mountain range and in regions at sea level. They need moisture and light to grow.
Cattleya Orchids are mainly divided into two categories.
1) Unifolate - with only one leaf
2) Bifoliate – with two or more leaves
Both types of Orchids are popular as they bear large, ostentatious flowers that are broadly used in flower arrangements and bouquets.
Cattleya Orchids are Epiphytic Orchids, i.e. air plants. They have big, plump roots (pseudobulbs) for collecting and storing rain water as they flourish naturally on trees. Over the period of time, these Orchids have been widely hybridized and now Cattleya Orchids are available in all colors, except true black and blue. Talking about the structure of the Cattleya Orchid flower, it has three petals, one of which is an eye-catching lip that has grown to draw the attention of pollinating insects.
Cattleya Orchids come from diverse natural environments therefore they require special augmentation conditions. For fine blossoming condition, they need day temperatures between 75 degrees F and 85 degrees F, and night temperatures between 55 degrees F and 65 degrees F.
The favorable humidity level needs to be between 50% and 60% for proper growth. This humidity level can effortlessly be attained by keeping the Orchid pot on a damp plate that is filled with pebbles and water. While doing this, you need to be very careful. Make sure that its roots should not be in water for extended period of time because they will decompose. To avoid Cattleya plants from fungal infection, you need to maintain the moderate amount of air circulation. Cattleya Orchids flourish best in indirect sunlight.
Cattleya Orchids differ in size and color. You need to have a proper knowledge and information about them whether you want to buy them or grow them in your garden.