Archive for the ‘Clay Hanging Pots’ Category
The Orchid Pot: The Essential Container For Your Plant
An orchid pot truly is the essential container for your beautiful plant. It has special characteristics that allow your orchid to ventilate and drain properly to help you get the most life time out of your plant. On top of that, you can choose an orchid pot that will also proudly display your orchid—an especially important thing to do when it is in full bloom.
So, what makes orchid pots so unique? Orchid pots, unlike many traditional pots, have extra holes in them to allow for water to move through the root system instead of pooling up in it. These extra holes also allow the roots to breathe better and allow air to move through the roots as well. These requirements are especially important for epiphytic orchids whose life is suspended above ground—on rocks, trees, or other plants. Their natural habitat allows for water and air movement so it’s really important to replicate that at home.
There are many different brands of orchid pots available, but lets take a moment to look at the most common types of pots and see which ones will work best for you. The three most common types of orchid pots are basket pots, plastic pots, and terracotta pots.
Basket pots are the original orchid pot way back when people began cultivating orchids in their homes. These pots provide a timeless charm and are great because of their versatility in displaying your orchids. You can place them on the ground, on a table, or, most impressive, hang a collection of them and allow the orchids to cascade out of the basket. I like doing this with Cymbidium orchids.
Basket pots are a great choice for orchids because of their natural ventilation and drainage qualities. They are literally filled with holes! Depending on the type and size of basket you buy and your display orientation, you might need to use a small plastic pot to contain the root system and then place that inside of the basket pot. This will, of course, be determined by your orchid species.
Plastic pots are inexpensive, easy to replace, and durable. There are tons of different plastic molds available so you can pretty much find a plastic pot for whatever orchid you have. They even make some plastic orchid pots up to a meter deep!
Plastic pots also come in different colors and styles depending on your needs. Black is the most common color, but you can also find clay colored pots that imitate terracotta pots, and clear, transparent pots are also popular. Clear pots are really great because in addition to providing good drainage and ventilation, they also allow sunlight to reach the orchid roots. Many epiphytes enjoy that.
Terracotta pots are also quite common and are great for terrestrial orchids displayed inside or outside. Because they are made of clay they are heavier, but are also very stable. You can buy terracotta pots that have 1 to 5 drainage holes depending on your needs.
Choosing the right pot for your orchid really does matter. If you don’t adequately drain and ventilate your orchid, you can have some bad cases of root rot and mold, which are detrimental to your orchids health. Find a pot that works for the species, presentation, and atmosphere that you’d like to provide your orchid with. Think of it as dressing up your orchid and have some fun with it!
Mark Alber is the owner of www.OrchidInformationHeadquarters.com. You can find more resources on orchid pots at his website.
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Q&A: how to plant blooming flowers in clay pots for year round color?
Question by Kms: how to plant blooming flowers in clay pots for year round color?
I want to plant from seeds a variety of blooming plants that I can hang from my patio. I live in the northwest, so I need to know what types will work in all 4 seasons.
Best answer:
Answer by fluffernut
The only plants that might work are tropicals that won’t work outside as they’d freeze. Even then they have limited blooming periods.
Clay pots dry easily and need constant attention to watering. In winter the moisture in the clay would freeze and fracture the pots.
About all I can suggest is planting evergreen shrubs in large containers to carry “plant life” through the winter and the add more pots of flowers for the spring, summer and fall.
What do you think? Answer below!
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Live Life Organics Celebrates Earth Day
Live Life Organics Celebrates Earth Day
Baltimore, MD (PRWEB) April 22, 2009
Why should anyone be concerned about buying organic cotton rather than commercially grown cotton? The reasons are numerous — certified organic cotton is grown without toxic pesticides or chemicals, so the air, water, and soil is not adversely affected. It’s also healthier for the farmer, who isn’t in contact with poisons. And of course, organic cotton is healthier for those wearing the fibers, as there are no harsh chemicals to irritate the skin.
In celebration of Earth Day, Live Life Organics has created a new line of eco-friendly onesies for babies. As with their eco-fashion for women, men and juniors, these onesies are 100% organic cotton with unique designs using low impact dyes. All shirts have positive, inspirational messages corresponding to the color of each shirt.
For example, the yellow tees and tank tops show the message “Do Dream, … It’s Possible”, yellow signifying hope and optimism. The blue shirts display “Be Inspired …Think Success”, blue being the color designating inspiration, confidence, wisdom, and integrity. The red clay tee and pink shirts have appropriately corresponding designs.
Stephanie Lavner, the founder of Live Life Organics, states “Our products are unique in many ways. Besides being made from quality organic cotton, the positive messages are meant to inspire the finest qualities of the human spirit such as courage hope and compassion. They signify what our company stands for. We are about changing attitudes in a positive way to make the world a better place for us and generations to come. Our thoughts can have a profound impact on our actions and events”.
Not being satisfied to stop with one organic product, the hang tag is also completely organic and embedded with wildflower seeds, which can be planted in either a pot or the garden and will bloom into delightful wildflowers.
Live Life Organics supports charitable giving. The most recent example of this is the onesies with the “Giving… hearts” design that were specially created in support of the Dr. Mani’s Children Heart Foundation (http://www.chdinfo.com). Profits from these onesies are going to provide cardiac surgeries for children too poor to afford their necessary medical care. So in addition to doing something good for the earth and for the wearer, a child can have the chance for a full and productive life.
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How to Plant Gardening Containers Or Gardening Pots In Your Container Garden
When you are ready to mix ingredients for your container garden, be sure the soil is damp and workable. To determine this, take a handful, squeeze it and allow it to drop. If water comes out, it is too wet; if it breaks apart, it is too dry. But if the lump of soil retains its shape or cracks just a little when it is dropped, it is in good condition to work into your gardening pots.
Be certain your garden containers are clean when you start. Soak used or new clay gardening pots overnight so they will not draw moisture from the soil after planting. This is a very important step when you are beginning your plants life. If the pot draws off the moisture the new plant will be deprived. Clean dirty clay pots with a stiff brush and hot, soapy water. Clean gardening pots will be much more attractive in your container garden.
Though redwood, cedar, and cypress gardening pots may be left natural, they may also be stained or painted. First clean the surfaces then apply one or two coats of stain or paint. Let dry completely before planting. Concrete, metal, plastic, fiberglass, and similar materials all need cleaning before planting your container garden.
Suiting plants to garden pots is very important in container garden design. Consider the shape of each container, its color, and texture in relation to the color of flowers and foliage, as well as the ultimate size of each plant in your container garden. Don’t choose material that is too small, and if you want a group of plants for a large container, select one tall specimen for the center to give height and scale. Don’t forget that you can plant vegetables in container gardens; try to incorporate them into your container garden design. And, for a tasty addition to your container garden plant herbs in garden containers or even hanging baskets, your recipes will become marvelous.
In low pots or bulb pans and in tubs, use low-growing plants like fancy-leaved caladiums, petunias, verbenas, Iantanas, ageratum and wax begonias. Hyacinths, tulips, and daffodils are also appropriate. In tall containers, plant specimens of geraniums, heliotropes, coleus, balsam, dwarf dahlias, fuchsias, and marguerites. Reserve the larger container pots and boxes for trees and shrubs or roses.
As a gardener, keep in mind the form of plants, particularly the evergreens which stand out boldly in winter. Rounded types, as clipped yews or globe arborvitae, look well in angular containers. Hollies or yews, sheared into squares or pyramids, look better in circular tubs. This contrast of the curving with the straight always gives interest to the garden and those guests that visit your container garden.
The first step in potting for a gardener is to place sufficient drainage material in the bottom of each garden container, allowing the water to pass through freely, but not so much as to interfere with the roots. An inch or two of flower pot pieces (rounded sides up), or chips of brick or flagstone, pebbles, gravel, small stones, or cinders can be used. The larger the container, the larger the pieces should be. Some gardeners spread a piece of coarse burlap and a layer of sand over large drainage pieces. A layer of Vermiculite or sphagnum moss over the drainage material is also fine to keep soil from clogging holes. If the holes clog the roots will drown in their gardening pot.
Above the drainage, spread a layer of soil, the amount depending on the size of the container and the root ball of the plant. Place the plant in position so that the surface of the soil will be an inch (more for big plants) below the rim of the container. This space is needed to hold water.
Fill soil in around the roots, firming gently with your fingers or a piece of wood so as to eliminate air pockets. Add more soil and firm, but do not make the soil too tight for fine feeding roots must be able to penetrate it with ease.
Finally, water your garden container plants well, let them drain. If water passes through the gardening pot very rapidly, press soil again to firm it; that means there are air pockets. If the soil holds water too long, loosen it a little.
Place the container garden in a sheltered spot out of sun and wind for the first week while they make new root growth and adjust to new conditions. This also helps to avoid shock. Once your plants have settled in, you ready to arrange your container garden according to your original container gardening design.
Happy Container Gardening!
Copyright © 2006 Mary Hanna All Rights Reserved.
This article may be distributed freely on your website and in your ezines, as long as this entire article, copyright notice, links and the resource box are unchanged.
Mary Hanna is an aspiring herbalist who lives in Central Florida. This allows her to grow gardens inside and outside year round. She has published other articles on Cruising, Gardening and Cooking. Visit her websites at http://www.GardeningHerb.com http://www.CruiseTravelDirectory.com and http://www.ContainerGardeningSecrets.com or contact her at mary@webmarketingreviews
About the Author
Mary Hanna is an aspiring herbalist who lives in Central Florida. This allows her to grow gardens inside and outside year round. She has published other articles on Cruising, Gardening and Cooking. Visit her websites at http://www.CruiseTravelDirectory.com, http://www.ContainerGardeningSecrets.com, and http://www.GardeningHerb.com or contact her at mary@webmarketingreviews.com
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