Tip Of The Day
Almost every day, I receive requests for articles on different subjects. Oh my, the possibilities are without number. With the death of print: newspapers, magazines, and journals, there is a dearth of reliable information. I am enjoying the exercise and discipline of writing. Please drop me a line, and let me know what you would like to read about.
Today, just a quick tip...or two, of the day.
Don't be concerned if you see some of your fruit dropping. It is not a cause for concern. In fact, gardeners "in the know" thin their fruit anyway. Yes, you should thin. In fact, in the industry, we call it "June drop." It is no big deal.
Tip of the day: Deadheading
Somehow that sounds like a practice by fans of a 60's San Francisco rock group. If you don't already do it, you should dead head. It is the removal of spent flowers that are beginning to form seed heads.
All living things have an innate desire to reproduce, including plants. Reproduction takes a lot of energy. Ask a young mother with three little kids where her energy went. For plants, a lot of energy goes into making fruit and seed. When a plant makes seed, it takes energy away from new growth and new flowers. In fact, allowing plants to go to seed, shuts down the plant's continued flowering and growth.
Dead heading is the practice of removing seed heads before they are allowed to mature. This keeps the plant in flower production mode. Dead heading also cleans up the plant and makes it look much more tidy. You can use micro shears for this job, or just pinch the spent heads off. I have dead headed an Arctotis 'Bumble bee' , so you can see what I mean.
Today, just a quick tip...or two, of the day.
Don't be concerned if you see some of your fruit dropping. It is not a cause for concern. In fact, gardeners "in the know" thin their fruit anyway. Yes, you should thin. In fact, in the industry, we call it "June drop." It is no big deal.
Tip of the day: Deadheading
Somehow that sounds like a practice by fans of a 60's San Francisco rock group. If you don't already do it, you should dead head. It is the removal of spent flowers that are beginning to form seed heads.
 |
| Before dead heading |
All living things have an innate desire to reproduce, including plants. Reproduction takes a lot of energy. Ask a young mother with three little kids where her energy went. For plants, a lot of energy goes into making fruit and seed. When a plant makes seed, it takes energy away from new growth and new flowers. In fact, allowing plants to go to seed, shuts down the plant's continued flowering and growth.
Dead heading is the practice of removing seed heads before they are allowed to mature. This keeps the plant in flower production mode. Dead heading also cleans up the plant and makes it look much more tidy. You can use micro shears for this job, or just pinch the spent heads off. I have dead headed an Arctotis 'Bumble bee' , so you can see what I mean.
 |
| After dead heading |
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