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Saturday, September 25, 2010

Monstera deliciosa & Alpinia formosana

Today's subject of 'Successfull Guide To Growing
Tropical Plants' is Monstera deliciosa and
Alpinia formosana.

Monstera deliciosa known by many names, including....

• Ceriman
• Cheese Plant
• Delicious Monster
• Fruit Salad Plant
• Mexican Breadfruit
• Monstera
• Monstereo
• Monsterio delicio
• Split-leaf Philodendron
• Swiss Cheese Plant

Monstera deliciosa is a member of the Araceae, Arum,
family and an epiphyte with aerial roots which can grow
up to 60 feet or more in its natural habitat which extents
from southern Mexico to Panama.

It grows best at temperatures above 70 degrees and
should not be exposed to temperatures below
50 degrees. It tolerates dry air pretty well but
appreciates an occasional misting.

It also benefits the plant if it is wiped with a moist
cloth periodically to remove any dust accumulation.

During active growth water it thoroughly before the
potting medium becomes dry.

Fertilize it with a fertilizer high in Nitrogen, like 9-3-6.
It also appreciates some fish fertilizer and Epsom
Salt periodically.

The fruit of Monstera deliciosa, like all members in
the Araceae family, often contain Raphides and
Trichosclereids, which are needle like structures
of calcium oxalate.

It takes one year for the fruit to fully ripen.

Fruits that have not ripened contain oxalic acid.
When the fruit is ingested in this unripened state,
it immediately causes blistering, painful irritation
and swelling.

Other interesting uses of Monstera deliciosa....

In Peru, the aerial roots are used as ropes and in
Mexico they are used to make baskets.

In Mexico the leaves and roots are used to make an
infusion to get relief from arthritic pain.

In Martinique the roots are used to treat snakebites.


Alpinia formosana
is a member of the Zingiberaceae,
Ginger, family.

It has beautiful green leaves with white pinstriping hence
it's other name pinstripe ginger.

If planted in the ground, it can grow as tall as 6 to 8 feet,
in pots 3 to 4 feet.

It grows very well in pots and if supplied with good light,
adequate moisture and fertilizer grows quite fast.

It's flower are porcelain white and red.

It makes a good houseplant and looks stunning in the
company of red and pink Caladiums.

Next, for your FREE Tropical Plant Guide, Grow Your Own Tropical
Garden
, which includes useful tips on how to grow tropical plants
in any climate, visit Tropical Indoor Plants.

Copyright © Bob Walsh Enterprises 2010
www.bestindoortropicalhawaiianhouseplants.com

Saturday, September 18, 2010

Successful Guide To Growing Tropical Plants - Organic Insect Control

Today's topic of 'Successful Guide To
Growing Tropical Plants' is
organic insect control which includes....


• Insecticidal soap
• Pyrethrins
• Rotenone
• Insecticidal oil
• Neem oil
• Bascillus thuringiensis
• Yellow paper traps

....to name the most common ones.

All of them do a terrific job in getting rid of
insects and protecting the environment,
your family, pets, and, of course,
your plants.

First, you have to schedule a regular
spraying routine for your plants.

Have you sprayed your plants, and
think that you got rid off all the insects,
only to see them return a few days later?

This happens with both synthetic and
organic insect control. The reason for
this is that adult insects are killed but
not their eggs they laid before you got
to them. The insects hatch and the
cycle starts all over again.

You have to set up a spraying routine
to spray your plants at least once a week
on a regular basis until you feel
comfortable that the insect problem has
been brought under control.

Like yourself I was very frustrated
with this process to say the least.

Then I discovered Pyola, an organic insect
control product, which kills adult insects
as well as their larvae and eggs.
It is made from canola oil and pyrethrins.

Pyola is fast acting and kills on contact
many insects including....
• Aphids
• Fungus gnats
• Scale insects
• Spider mites
• Thrips
• Whiteflies....and many more

With Pyola you spray once,
maximum twice, and your insect
problems are history. This product
is very cost effective, one pint
makes up to 12 gallons.

Next week's topic of
'Successful Guide To Growing
Tropical Plants' is Alpinia formosana,
a member of the Ginger family, and
Monstera deliciosa both of whichmake great indoor and outdoor plants.

Next, for your FREE Tropical Plant Guide, Grow Your Own Tropical Garden, which includes many useful tips on how to grow tropical plants, visit Tropical Indoor Plants.

Copyright © Bob Walsh Enterprises 2010
www.bestindoortropicalhawaiianhouseplants.com

Friday, September 10, 2010

Successful Guide To Growing Tropical Plants - Crinum Lily

This week's topic of 'Successful Guide To Growing
Tropical Plants' is the Crinum lily.

The Crinum is a member of the large Amaryllidaceae
family.

The word 'Crinum' originates from the Greek word
Krinon which means 'white lily'.

There are believed to be about 180 species of Crinum
globally with Africa recording the most species.

The Crinum lily grows from bulbs with long sword-like leaves.
The flower stalk arising laterally is leafless, and
produces one or multiple flowers.

Several years ago I received five Crinum bulbs from
a friend in late fall.

After I researched the growing conditions for Crinum,
I decided to plant three bulbs in one 10-inch pot
and the remaining two bulbs in separate 8-inch pots.
I placed the pots on the periphery of one of my indoor
light gardens.

During the winter the bulbs grew abundant foliage,
but did not flower. I thought that by spring they would
be potbound which encourages Crinum to bloom
when grown in pots.

This was still not the case.

May arrived and still there were no blooms. I decided
to spoil the Crinum with some extra bone meal.
Each single bulb in the 8 inch pot got 1 handful
of bone meal, and the pot with the three bulbs
received 3 handfuls....one for each bulb.

In addition, I fertilized them with a 10-50-10 fertilizer
every time I watered them and added the same
fertilizer to my seaweed solution when foliar feeding.

To make a long story short....the Crinum bulbs in the

10 inch pot were in bloom a few weeks later with one

bulb from the triple bulb planted pot producing 8 flower

stalks during the summer.

The 2 bulbs planted into two separate 8 inch pots took
several months longer to produce flowers.


Following is a summary for Crinum care.....

1. Plant your Crinum lily, depending on variety, in smaller
pots than you would other plants of the same size.
This way they are potbound and bloom faster.

2. Be generous with bone meal - 1 handful per bulb.

3. Fertilize your Crinum regularly with a fertilizer high
in Phosphorus....10-50-10.

4. Use the same type of high Phosphorus fertilizer
when foliar feeding your Crinum.

5. Grow your Crinum in full sun or under grow lights.


This spring I had to transplant the three bulbs as
their root system cracked the pot.

They are now each in individual 10 inch pots.
They haven't flowered this summer, but I know
they will as soon as they are totally potbound.

I'm going to update you on their progress and email
you pictures as soon as they bloom.

Next, for your FREE gift, Grow Your Own Tropical Garden, which includes many useful tips on how to grow tropical plants in any climate, visit Tropical Indoor Plants.

Saturday, September 4, 2010

Successful Guide To Growing Tropical Plants - Organic Fungicides

Today's topic of 'Successful Guide To Growing Tropical Plants'
is organic disease control, namely organic fungicides.

One step for prevention of plant diseases is to have adequate
space between your plants to allow for proper air circulation.

We all know how disheartening it can be to have well growing
plants, including tropical plants, develop sudden diseases.

Several years ago I grew double Petunias between my tropical
plants to add some additional color. But two years in a row
all petunias I planted developed fungal diseases several weeks
after being planted.

That's when I received a catalog about organic gardening in the
mail. Whenever I see a promising product on the internet or in
a catalog, I give it a try.

That's how I discovered Soap-Shield.

I sprayed the petunias and everything I was growing at this time,
including tropical plants, tomatoes, and roses.

Knowing that 'prevention is the mother of all cures' I used
Soap-Shield as a preventative. Ever since using Soap-Shield
the first time I haven't had any sick petunias, and the tomatoes
look as healthy at the end of September as they did in June.
I highly recommend Soap-Shield and it can be used both
indoors and outdoors.

This is how the developer describes the product....

Soap-Shield is a flowable copper liquid fungicide which protects
plants from infection.

It is effective when used on....

• tropical plants
• roses
• vegetables
• fruits
• ornamentals
• grass

Fixed copper is one of the oldest fungicides and bactericides
used to control a wide range of plant diseases.

Soap-Shield is made by combining a soluble copper fertilizer
with a naturally occurring fatty acid. The copper and the fatty
acid combine to form a copper salt of the fatty acid known as
a true soap.

This copper soap fungicide controls many common diseases
using low concentrations of copper, down as low as 90ppm.

Soap-Shield
decomposes to form soluble copper and fatty
acid, both of which are used by microbes and plants.

I only recommend any gardening products to you which I have
used myself for several years and with which I would not garden
without anymore.

Next, for your FREE Tropical Plants Guide, Grow Your Own Tropical Garden, which includes many useful tips on how to grow tropical plants anywhere, visit Tropical Indoor Plants.

Saturday, August 28, 2010

Foliar Feeding Your Tropical House Plants With Seaweed

Today's topic of 'Successful Guide To Growing Tropical Plants'
is foliar feeding which is a fertilizing technique of applying
liquid fertilizer to the leaves of plants.

Along plant leaves are pores, called Stomata, through which
the fertilizer is absorbed and made immediately available to
the plant. These Stomata are located on both sides of the
leaves. It's therefore important to spray both sides of the leaves
when foliar feeding.

Foliar feeding benefits plants tremendously, especially container
grown plants because of root growth filling the container with
roots quickly.

The roots are not able to absorb enough nutrients anymore
and the plants may develop nutrient deficiencies.

But the principle of foliar feeding applies to all your plants,
including tropical house plants, flowers, and vegetables resulting in
lush foliage, vibrant colored flowers, and an increase in vegetable crop.

Adding a surfactant, like Coco Wet, prevents the fertilizer
solution from running off the leaves.

Use about 1/4 to 1/2 of the recommended dosage of fertilizer
listed on the bottle or container.

More gardeners, including myself, add sea-based nutrients
to their fertilizer solution as they contain many of the
fifty trace nutrients. As the plant and the roots grow,
the need for trace elements increases. The soil itself is
unable to provide all these element anymore.

For years I've tested different seaweed brand names.
Finally, I've found one which produces phenomenal results.
This seaweed not only provides your plants with essential
nutrients, but also enhances the effect of the liquid fertilizer
you add to it.

This special strand of seaweed, Ascophyllum nodosum, is
available as Sea Magic from several internet stores.

Ascophyllum nodosum grows naturally in the cold waters
of the Atlantic Ocean. After being harvested, it is quickly dried
through a special process to keep its natural qualities intact.

To use properly, dissolve the content of the package of seaweed
in a 2-liter bottle and keep this concentrate in your refrigerator.

Each time you foliar feed, add 2 - 3 tablespoons of the concentrate,
per 32oz. spray bottle, to your spray mix.

Now add your liquid fertilizer plus the surfactant and you're ready
to foliar feed your plants.

Every couple of months add 1/4 cup of the seaweed
concentrate (which you already mixed), per 3-gallon
watering can, when watering your plants.

This powerhouse nutrient, Ascophyllum nodosum, is
also very cost efficient.

Once you use it and see its effect on your plants,
you'll never garden without it.

Next topic of 'Successful Guide To Growing Tropical Plants'
is Organic Disease Control.

Next, for your FREE Tropical Plant Guide, Grow Your Own Tropical Garden, which includes many useful tips how to grow tropical plants in any climate, visit Tropical House Plants.

Bob Walsh
www.bestindoortropicalhawaiianhouseplants.com

Thursday, August 19, 2010

Successful Guide To Growing Tropical Plants Vol. 3 - Organic Fertilizers

Today's issue of 'Successful Guide To Growing
Tropical Plants' deals with one of my favorite
topics, organic fertilizers.

The subject of organic fertilizers is so broad that
I'm only focusing on a few products no gardener
should be without.

These products may be used on everything you
grow, including tropical plants, annuals, perennials,
vegetables, and more.

You may use these organic soil additives and fertilizers
alone or in combination with synthetic fertilizers.

Organic fertilizers are animal or plant products, or
by-products which are available in granular and liquid
forms.

Blood Meal....

• Dried, powdered blood
• One of the highest organic sources of Nitrogen
• Follow package instructions
• Too much can burn plants with excessive Ammonia
• Completely soluble
• Can be mixed with water and applied as liquid fertilizer
• Deters animals in your garden, like rabbits, as well
• Can be used as composting activator
• Sprinkle it around roots at planting time, or
• Top-dress by working into soil around plants already planted


Symptoms of Nitrogen deficiency....


• Overall poor plant growth
• Yellowing leaves due to reduced Chlorophyll
• Lower leaves more affected
• Rest of plant is often light green


Bone Meal....

• Slow release fertilizer made from crushed bones
• Provides Phosphorus and Calcium
• Finely ground bone meal provides fast release of nutrients
• Sprinkle it around roots at planting time, or
• Top-dress by working into soil around plants already planted


Symptoms of Phosphorus deficiency....

• Lack of, or poor, flowering
• Leaf tips turn brown or black
• This is followed by lower leaves turning dark-green or reddish-purple


Fish Emulsion....

• Organic fertilizer high in Nitrogen
• Typical N-P-K analysis is 5-2-2
• Can be applied as soil drench or foliar feed
• Look for fish emulsion that has been deodorized
• Any "after-scent" is short lived


Blood meal, bone meal, and fish emulsion are the three gardening
products widely used by many gardeners, including myself.


Another widely used product is....

Guano....

• Excrement of seabirds and bats
• Contains high levels of Phosphorus and Nitrogen
• Added to soil deficient in organic matter

The topic of organic fertilizers can be covered in hundreds
of Ezine articles being such an extensive subject.

The above mentioned soil additives and fertilizers, blood meal, bone meal, fish emulsion, and guano will make your tropical plants look their best and reward you with lush foliage and
colorful, vibrant inflorescenses (flowers).

In the next Ezine the subject is the use of Seaweed.
This powerhouse Seaweed gives your plants an
"Adrenaline Rush" resulting in picturesque
tropical plants you usually see only in
gardening magazines and catalogs.

Next, for your FREE tropical plants guide, Grow Your Own Tropical Garden, which includes many useful tips on how to grow tropical plants in any climate, visit Tropical House Plants.

Copyright © Bob Walsh Enterprises 2010
www.bestindoortropicalhawaiianhouseplants.com

Sunday, August 15, 2010

YouTube Video - Growing Hawaiian Hibiscus Plants & Hibiscus Flowers



This YouTube video explains how to grow the best hibiscus plant.
In addition, the Hawaiian origin of Hibiscus flowers is explained.

Next, for your FREE Tropical Plants Guide, Grow Your Own Tropical Garden, visit Tropical House Plants.