The purchase of a houseplant and the care and maintenance of it requires time and effort. It will reward you through its ability to bring life to the home and as a decorative feature. You can gain additional benefits through growing your own new plants from seeds or cuttings.

Seeds

You should always collect and use good quality seed. It is not always possible to guarantee that the seeds are first rate unless you have selected your own from a good plant. If you obtain your seeds from a reputable source, that is a good start.

If you are growing plants from seeds, it is vitally important that the soil is properly prepared. You should begin with sterile earth, not just the dirt that is outside your house as this soil may have weed seeds, bacteria that may be harmful to the new seedlings, insect larvae or any number of other problems. To maximize seed germination, it is best to use good soil that is known to be pest free.

Using a seed starting tray is best for most new plants as they contain a capillary mat which will soak up water from below, feeding the seeds and maintaining moisture in the soil. They are also an ideal size for the critical first few months of a plant’s life. You should aim to keep the soil warm (at least 72 degrees F or 22 degrees C) during the day and no less than 65 degrees F or 18 degrees C at night. Use a warming lamp if needs be.

Enough light is vital for newly developing seedlings. If the climate or the location of the plants does not allow enough natural light, supplement with artificial lighting. The light should be suspended above the tray allowing a few inches between the tray and light.This heat will then penetrate the soil, warming the seeds to allow germination and once the seedling is above the surface, the same light and heat will supply the energy required for photosynthesis and therefore plant growth.

When the seedling has developed a few leaves, it is time to apply a fertilizer that is diluted to between 1/4 - 1/2 strength. It is then time to transplant the seedling into a pot.

Cuttings

You can use many of the same ideas when growing a new plant from a cutting. For instance, you would like to try growing Bird of Paradise plant from cuttings. Just like growing white Bird of Paradise from seeds white bird of paradise from seeds, the first step is to choose a good, healthy cutting. Green stems that have not hardened or become woody are the best and choose one that has a node (this is the point where a leaf attaches to the stem). This will then develop into roots to support and feed the new plant.

Be sure to remove all but one or two leaves with their nodes. Until the nodes develop roots, the plant will obtain its nutrients from the leaves. The soil should be prepared as for the seeds and the cuttings inserted with care and gently into the soil.

Ensure that the soil is kept moist but not overly wet during this stage as too much water will cause rot that will kill the new plant. Allow for plenty of light as with seeds - at least 12 hours per day, supplementing with artificial lighting if necessary.

After the plant has developed a root system, allow a few months before replanting into a longer term pot.

Homeowners look for nice items to use as garden ornaments. A decorative bird feeder would make a great garden ornament. There are different things that can be done to make a decorative bird feeder. Simply using paint or stain can certainly add to a wooden bird feeder.

There are plain wooden decorative bird feeders that you can get and work on. One thing you can do is to add some miniature shutters and windows, and some paint, and make it look like a replica of your home - this will ensure that your decorative bird feeder is unique.

Putting up a decorative bird feeder, especially if you want it to be unique can be a difficult task. To make sure that your efforts aren’t wasted, you have to make sure that your bird feeder will not be damaged by squirrels, raccoons or any other such creatures that you inevitably find in gardens. Mount it up on a fairly tall pole, well away from any high points from which these critters can jump onto your bird feeder.

If these animals are not a threat in your area, you could put a bird feeder anywhere in your garden as an ornament like on the patio, on a large window sill, hanging in a gazebo or hanging in a big tree. A decorative bird feeder would provide great conversation when sitting with visitors in the garden. Besides creating conversation for you and your guests, it will provide an area of interest for the many birds in the area.

If you are crafty and have a particular vision for your decorative bird feeder, perhaps it would be best if you built it yourself. Looking at pictures in gardening books and magazines should provide ideas and perhaps instructions for a bird feeder. No doubt while shopping for garden ornaments, either at the local gardening center or online, you’ll find the perfect decorative bird feeder for your garden.

Some Interesting Facts About The Mini Bonsai Trees

You are aware than bonsai means ‘tree in a pot’ in Japanese and this terms refers to a type of trees that are dwarfed by special growing techniques to reproduce the larger version in a miniature form. These plants are not only stunning beautiful, they are also very expensive and painstaking to grow. This is why most people would be surprised to know that there is another yet smaller type of miniaturization called the mini bonsai.

What Is The Mini Bonsai?

The mini bonsai is a tree which is further miniaturized having it grow to maximum the size of your palm. This type of bonsai is very common in Japan and China where it is also known as mame bonsai or shonin bonsai. The great thing about these mini bonsai trees is that almost all of them flower and fruit every year offering an amazing spectacle.

The mini bonsai can propagate from both seeds and cuttings in different seasons according to the growth chart of the species they belong to. The best part with these miniature trees is that they can be grown absolutely anywhere as they need very little special care or space. Their beauty is such that it can completely mesmerize anyone who sees it for the first time.

The same conditions and rules apply to the mini bonsai as it would apply to the regular bonsai trees, i.e. utmost care should be given that water is sufficient in the soil because flooding would rot the roots while dryness would kill it. You need to ensure that the plant has adequate food and light or it would wither away. Most of the mini bonsai trees though considered (maybe owing to their exquisite shape and size) to be indoor plants are actually outdoor plants.

This is why when kept indoors these trees need to be placed in a well ventilated area preferably facing southeast in a place where they could get well exposed to sun light for about six hours per day. If the place offers more than six hours direct sunlight, ensure that they have something that provides shade as protection against dryness.

For food the miniature bonsai trees would need nitrogen based fertilizer twice a month during the spring and summer and daily watering. Pruning and shaping should be done in late spring and early summer when the growth of these trees attains the maximum rate. These trees need to be repotted once every two years until they reach ten years of age. Immediately after repotting the tree would need a lot of water and natural shade to allow the roots to catch up.

Sometimes all of this looks like a lot of trouble and special care; however when you see the miniature trees in all their glory flowering and fruiting, you would find that each one of the efforts involved to get these masterpieces are well worth the trouble.

There are many articles around that will tell you about the ins and outs of looking after your Bonsai tree. They go into forms and styling, pruning techniques, repotting and so on. But let me just take you quietly into the feeling of Bonsai and why the majority of Bonsai gardeners become addicted.

If you have not heard of Bonsai trees or Bonsai plants you are a rare person indeed! Bonsai miniaturization probably dates back before the Chinese started several centuries ago. Then Bonsai techniques were picked up by the Japanese who really went to work and refined and perfected the skills to turn them into an art form. Since then the rest of the world has caught up with this amazing hobby and taken to it with a vengeance!

There has been a lot written about Bonsai and it’s care, growing techniques, forms, styles, dos and donts. If I were a newcomer to the hobby I could be quite overwhelmed by the amount of information and seemingly complicated rules to follow. I may then decide that it is all too hard and not get involved in Bonsai at all. But that would be to miss the entire point.

There is something indefinable about Bonsai trees. Their exquisite beauty in miniature form, the way they transport you to a different perspective, the peace and tranquillity you feel by just gazing at your tree is something that must be experienced rather than described. With Bonsai trees in your home you can be transported to a different place, away from the hustle and bustle and pressures of modern life to a place of inner peace and calm. All the more so if those Bonsai trees have been nurtured and sculptured by you!

To spend time with a Bonsai plant caring for it, shaping it, feeding and watering it, is to gradually enter into a kind of meditation. The world is shut out while you study the form of the tree, visualizing the shape you wish to coax your tree into and planning the small steps needed to achieve your aims. There is much to learn, there is much to practice… but the pay off is priceless. Once you have had some small successes with your Bonsai you are in danger of becoming addicted! But then so what! There are far worse things in this world to become addicted to than the harmless and beautiful world of Bonsai trees.

You have to put in the time and care to achieve your end result. However the thing about Bonsai is that it is the time spent that is the addiction! That is what calms the spirit, the doing not the getting.

However before you can loose yourself in this type of meditation you need to learn some basic skills. Select the type of Bonsai trees that you want to grow and set yourself up with some good quality Bonsai supplies. There is ample Bonsai literature available both for the beginner and the experienced and your Bonsai trees will look even more beautiful in an interesting pot and perhaps on a display table.

You will be rewarded with endless pleasure and satisfaction for life if you get a few basics in place in the beginning.

A Mood Enhancing Garden Oasis Patio

Although people have always loved the outdoors, more and more, we see families looking for ways to create the ideal garden oasis patio. Wanting to get outdoors instead of spending all the time inside, the possible design options for patios and decks is incredible. With the outcome, people can cook, entertain, or simply relax with perfect landscaping in a peaceful area.

Designing Gazebo Landscape

By adding a gazebo landscape you will be creating another area, possibly away from the house or maybe near a pool, for entertaining or just relaxing. These sturdily built structures are attractive and also come in easy to assemble kits made of resin but give the look of wood.

Then if the structure has lattice work or pillars, then the gazebo landscape could include some type of climbing vine that might include honeysuckle, clematis, ivy, etc. To create the perfect place for entertainment or even a romantic escape, you would also hand miniature lights around the perimeter at roof level, giving the area a soft glow. The possibilities are incredible, waiting for your own creativity to be added to the mix.

Natural Flagstone Landscaping

Adding a flagstone landscape allows your guests to meander around your garden oasis patio and out to the gazebo landscape. This invites all who enter your tropical paradise to enjoy every corner. Having different destination areas for entertaining such as the gazebo or patio allows the guests to spread out and not be cramped into one small area.

An outdoor fireplace or kitchen are also great additions to any outdoor area. This keeps the traffic out of the house and in the garden oasis patio. People tend to feel more relaxed and comfortable outdoors rather than in the more formal areas inside the home. Patio furniture is sturdier and easier to clean. As the host you will also be more relaxed.

You do not want to ruin the relaxing atmosphere of your garden oasis patio with the clutter of garden equipment or children’s toys. It would be a good idea to add some attractive storage that blends with the landscape design. There are many ready made products or easy to assemble kits on the market for storage.

Backyard entertaining components can be found at your local home improvement center or after a quick online search. If you want to create a garden oasis patio for a small intimate group or for a large crowd you can easily do it yourself. Some prefab gazebos or storage structures can be ordered online and delivered to your home and you can have them set up in no time. A flagstone landscape design can be laid in a weekend.