In the summer months, it's sometimes hard to keep kids out of the garden, especially if you've marked off an area just for them to grow their own vegetables and flowers. But what about winter, when chilly temperatures force you inside? What can you do to keep your children interested in gardening? The answer is "plenty!" Here are some ideas to get you started thinking about indoor gardening projects for your family, scout troop, or other youth group. I'm sure you'll come up with others.
Windowsill gardens.
Try cultivating a windowsill garden when the snowdrifts keep your kids inside. All you need is a sunny spot and a few containers of soil. Herbs are an excellent choice for windowsill gardens.
Peculiar plants.
What kid wouldn't be fascinated by an insect-eating plant? Many garden centers sell Venus flytraps in their houseplant section. Then visit your library or search the Internet for more information on the natural habitat and growth habits of this unusual plant.
Watch seeds sprout.
Line a glass jar with a damp paper towel and insert several zucchini seeds between the glass and the towel. Place a lid on the jar, leave it on the kitchen counter, and check the paper every day to make sure it's still moist. Seeds should sprout in a few days. Or try bush beans instead of zucchini.
Read a book.
Books like Peter Rabbit or The Secret Garden can spark your child's interest in gardening. Ask your local librarian or bookstore owner for other suggestions.
Decorate while you wait.
Let kids indulge their natural creativity by painting inexpensive terra cotta pots to use next spring, for repotting houseplants this winter, or for birthday and thank you gifts. Kid-safe, durable paints can be purchased at most craft shops.
Get a jump on spring.
Plan a visit to your local garden center to buy seeds. Or let your child help select varieties from the seed catalogs. Then start seeds indoors to plant outside after the last frost. Ask the experts at your garden center or check your favorite gardening book to determine when to start seeds.
Worm farm.
Line a large cardboard box with a garbage bag. Fill it with soil, organic matter, and a few worms. Keep it shady and moist, but not too wet. Add kitchen scraps (vegetables only!) Worms will help teach your kids about the interdependence of plants and organisms as they turn vegetable kitchen scraps into valuable compost.
Garden crafts.
There are several projects you can try with your kids, depending on their age and interest, such as hand-painted plant markers or homemade whirligigs to put between rows to frighten off birds. Your local craft store should have all the supplies you need.
Terrariums.
Carefully place some soil and a few mosses and plants (with roots) inside a clean mayonnaise jar. Keep your indoor garden moist with a plant mister, and cover the opening with clear plastic wrap.
Feed the birds.
Stock up on birdseed and suet at your local garden center, and feed the birds this winter. Have your child keep a record of all the species of birds that come to the feeder and what date each first was spotted.
Pot People.
Draw or paint faces on small clay pots, and then fill with soil. Plant grass seed, water, and watch the "hair" grow (aka the Chia Pet technique).
Build a birdhouse.
Birdhouse kits and plans are available at most garden centers and craft shops. This is a great activity for a cold winter's night.
The sooner we can get our children interested in gardening and the natural world around them, the better the earth’s future will be. All it takes is one activity with a child to get them hooked, and it all started with a lima bean seed for me in elementary school. Who would’ve known?
Saturday, February 5, 2011
Sunday, December 5, 2010
CHRISTMAS CACTUS – A HOLIDAY FAVORITE
CHRISTMAS CACTUS – A HOLIDAY FAVORITE
The brightly colored flowers of the Christmas cactus instantly bring warmth during the chilling winter season. When the holiday season is over, it is resting time for the Christmas cactus. Allow it the rest it deserves and prepare it for the next holiday season. These plants are relatively maintenance free, but once you learn its few requirements, you will have a live holiday plant that can be passed down from generation to generation.
Requirements
This plant is tropical in nature and belongs to the zygo-cactus family. Though the name suggests that it originates from the cactus family, its environmental requirements are quite different from the desert cactus. The Christmas cactus is an epiphyte that is a native to Central and South America and it naturally grows in the crook of tree trunks and branches. The organic matter trapped in the cervices of trees provides the required moisture for the growth of the cactus.
Hybridizers have come up with new Christmas cactus varieties, which has resulted in the introduction of three cacti, which are thanksgiving, Easter and Christmas cactus. Care of Christmas cactus has to be taken to ensure that we enjoy the blooms for a long time.
For the Christmas cactus to grow and flourish, optimal growing conditions must be provided. Though the cactus performs well under average home conditions with moderate care, there are various factors that can deter the plant from blooming.
Requirements
1. Water: Being succulent in nature, this plant stores a reasonable amount of water in its leaves. Over watering can shun the growth of the Christmas cactus. The best way to see whether the plant needs watering is to use your finger: If it feels dry, water. If it feels moist, wait a day and check again. Try to avoid a weekly or calendar watering schedule, since you may be watering an already over-watered plant. When watering, set the plant in your kitchen sink and use your spray attachment and wash the leaves while watering the soil. A tepid water temperature will avoid shocking the plant with either too cold or too warm water. Allow the plant to drain completely. If the plant is allowed to sit in the drained water or in a tray for too long (I am talking days, not minutes), the roots tend to decay. During the summer season, ensure that the cactus is watered every 2-3 days, while in the winter months, the need is less and so is water.
2. Light: If the leaves of the cactus have turned red, it simply means that it has been exposed to direct sunlight. The Christmas cactus requires indirect bright sunlight. To promote blooming during the fall, the plant needs less sunlight and 12 hours of uninterrupted darkness. In New Jersey I move the cactus outside in spring once the danger of frost has passed, then leave it outside just before the first frost, and under a protected over hang.
3. Temperature: The optimum temperature for growth is between 60 to 70°C. Average to high humidity creates the most favorable conditions. The soil moisture levels can be attained by placing the pot in a tray filled with water and pebbles, making sure that the water level does not reach the bottom of the pot.
4. Fertilizer: Use a liquid houseplant fertilizer (I prefer Schultz 10-15-10 fertilizer + micronutrients, which can be found in most supermarkets and home centers) at half the rate it suggests every 2-3 weeks in the winter. Over use of the fertilizer can burn the roots of the cactus, and remember that during the winter months, the plants are actively growing less than the spring/summer/fall months.
To promote the Christmas cactus to branch out, it is important to prune it. Remove some sections of the stem by using either your fingers or a sharp knife in the spring. To propagate, push the cut sections from your pruning into a 3 inch pot that contains the same soil as the parent cactus. A well drained soil such as an African Violet mix will be perfect. Remember that these are not desert cacti, and potting them into a sandy soil will not work. Ensure that the cut sections have 2-3 joined segments, and push the first section into the soil. The roots will develop in 4-6 weeks.
My Christmas cactus has been a guaranteed bloomer and show stopper every year, and you can have the same success with this maintenance free holiday favorite.
The brightly colored flowers of the Christmas cactus instantly bring warmth during the chilling winter season. When the holiday season is over, it is resting time for the Christmas cactus. Allow it the rest it deserves and prepare it for the next holiday season. These plants are relatively maintenance free, but once you learn its few requirements, you will have a live holiday plant that can be passed down from generation to generation.
Requirements
This plant is tropical in nature and belongs to the zygo-cactus family. Though the name suggests that it originates from the cactus family, its environmental requirements are quite different from the desert cactus. The Christmas cactus is an epiphyte that is a native to Central and South America and it naturally grows in the crook of tree trunks and branches. The organic matter trapped in the cervices of trees provides the required moisture for the growth of the cactus.
Hybridizers have come up with new Christmas cactus varieties, which has resulted in the introduction of three cacti, which are thanksgiving, Easter and Christmas cactus. Care of Christmas cactus has to be taken to ensure that we enjoy the blooms for a long time.
For the Christmas cactus to grow and flourish, optimal growing conditions must be provided. Though the cactus performs well under average home conditions with moderate care, there are various factors that can deter the plant from blooming.
Requirements
1. Water: Being succulent in nature, this plant stores a reasonable amount of water in its leaves. Over watering can shun the growth of the Christmas cactus. The best way to see whether the plant needs watering is to use your finger: If it feels dry, water. If it feels moist, wait a day and check again. Try to avoid a weekly or calendar watering schedule, since you may be watering an already over-watered plant. When watering, set the plant in your kitchen sink and use your spray attachment and wash the leaves while watering the soil. A tepid water temperature will avoid shocking the plant with either too cold or too warm water. Allow the plant to drain completely. If the plant is allowed to sit in the drained water or in a tray for too long (I am talking days, not minutes), the roots tend to decay. During the summer season, ensure that the cactus is watered every 2-3 days, while in the winter months, the need is less and so is water.
2. Light: If the leaves of the cactus have turned red, it simply means that it has been exposed to direct sunlight. The Christmas cactus requires indirect bright sunlight. To promote blooming during the fall, the plant needs less sunlight and 12 hours of uninterrupted darkness. In New Jersey I move the cactus outside in spring once the danger of frost has passed, then leave it outside just before the first frost, and under a protected over hang.
3. Temperature: The optimum temperature for growth is between 60 to 70°C. Average to high humidity creates the most favorable conditions. The soil moisture levels can be attained by placing the pot in a tray filled with water and pebbles, making sure that the water level does not reach the bottom of the pot.
4. Fertilizer: Use a liquid houseplant fertilizer (I prefer Schultz 10-15-10 fertilizer + micronutrients, which can be found in most supermarkets and home centers) at half the rate it suggests every 2-3 weeks in the winter. Over use of the fertilizer can burn the roots of the cactus, and remember that during the winter months, the plants are actively growing less than the spring/summer/fall months.
To promote the Christmas cactus to branch out, it is important to prune it. Remove some sections of the stem by using either your fingers or a sharp knife in the spring. To propagate, push the cut sections from your pruning into a 3 inch pot that contains the same soil as the parent cactus. A well drained soil such as an African Violet mix will be perfect. Remember that these are not desert cacti, and potting them into a sandy soil will not work. Ensure that the cut sections have 2-3 joined segments, and push the first section into the soil. The roots will develop in 4-6 weeks.
My Christmas cactus has been a guaranteed bloomer and show stopper every year, and you can have the same success with this maintenance free holiday favorite.
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