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When you plant Petunias in your Garden along with some other vegetables or plants/ trees that bear fruits, you might need to know what your Petunias might attract to, like beneficial bees or some kinds of birds, etc. This is because every garden needs pollinators and bees are among the best. So, without them there would be limited flowers and even fewer fruits and vegetables.

So, what do Petunias attract to?

First, let’s get to know a little bit about Petunias. Usually, Petunias bloom brightly colored flowers. They have trumpet-shaped flowers on stems that grow 12 to 18 inches long. Petunias are usually grown as annuals. But this is the most important! Actually, Petunias are not as attractive to bees as other flowers, but they do attract hummingbirds and butterflies.

Why Petunias do not attract to and Bees?

One of the reasons why Petunias do not attract to bees is that because bees are usually attracted to certain colors, scents and types of flowers. Although petunias have various colors from white, purple and yellow that can attract bees, their flowers with the petals are not wide enough to give a good landing area for the bees.

You might also know that most of the time, bees land on flowers that produce nectar or pollen as they will later take it back to the hive. However, the fact that petunias have almost no nectar or pollen at all, which means they aren’t that valuable to bees. So, if you see those bees may buzz around petunia blooms then it’s obviously because of their bright colors. And if noticed, probably you will not see them stay that long, especially if the petunia is planted alone in a container or bed.

Instead, Petunias attract to Butterflies and Hummingbirds

While bees are only attract to some certain colors only, the butterflies are attracted to the bright, trumpet-shaped blooms of the petunia. If you want to attract butterflies, simply add more shades of red, pink or yellow petunias into your garden.

Facts: Butterflies are attracted to flowers that grow in full sun, produce a light scent and some nectar.

Also, your petunia flower's trumpet shape also attracts hummingbirds.

If you choose to plant Petunias as an annual flower for your garden, you might love them for their beautiful blooms that require almost no maintenance at all. However, if you want to boost up more additional Petunia blooms, then you must know how to take out old blooms through deadheading to encourage new blossoms instead of seed production. Deadheading will also reduce or even eliminate seed production of the plant and help control unwanted spreading of the plant.

Here’s how to:

1. If you see your Petunia blooms are beginning to fade and die, such as seeing fading colors of the blooms, or the blooms start to wilt and hang downward from the normal upright trumpet shape, then you should remove those parts as soon as possible. Use scissors that had been carefully sterilized / disinfected to remove them.

2. You can also remove, or deadhead, the petunia plant by hand. Usually, just reach just behind the blossom and with your thumb and index finger, pinch the stem and pull the old bloom off the plant.

3. After that, continue to seek and pinch off each individual dying petunia. Remove all of them.

4. You can also use pruners to strip off old blooms if you do not deadhead by pinching. Snip the stem of the petunia plant just behind the bloom with the pruners.

5. Tips for pruning: if you want to prune the Petunias, find a node or point at least half way between the tip and base of the main stem - where smaller stems or leaves branch. Cut the petunia stem back just above the node, at least half way between the tip and base of the stem, using disinfected pruners.

6. If you see petunias grow longer stems with less leaves and stop blooming, trimming them back will beautify the overall look and promotes new Petunias growth and flower production. The best time for pruning cuts is in mid-summer.

7. You can cut the Petunias stem back farther if seeing the petunia stems are thriving too long or if it is difficult to locate a node on the stem. After that, cut the petunias stems back to within 2 to 3 inches of the base, if necessary, since the plant will still be capable of generating new growth and blooms. Cut the top 1 inch or so from each stem when planting to promote good branching, a more compact appearance and heavier bloom production.

Caring for your Orchid will require lots of experience to produce those most beautiful blooms at the right time. Some of the most important factors are light and media.

Light

- Due to the fact that orchids are light-hungry plants, if you want to plant orchids with best results, let them receive 12 - 14 hours of light every day and year-round.

- If you are living in a tropical area, you will have quite a fix amount/ duration and intensity of natural light year-round. So, in order you extend the light for your orchid, simply move your orchids around, and supplement with artificial light during the winter months.

- When you plant orchids indoors, it’s important to know that placing them in the South- and east-facing windows are usually the best for them to grow best. Usually, placing them in the West windows can be too hot, and northern ones are usually too dark. However, not everyone is the same so just in case you don’t have a good window area for your orchids, put them under artificial lights is fine enough.

- If you plant orchids under artificial lights, then they should be placed with a space that isno more than 6 - 8 inches far from a set of 4-foot fluorescent bulbs. Although the benefits of cool white, warm white, and grow light bulbs are diverse, it's been advised that the new full-spectrum bulbs are probably the best all-around choice. Also noted in mind that there are quite orchids with very high light requirements, such as vandas and cymbidiums, will require high-intensity discharge lighting if you want them to bloom.

Growing Media

- Make sure you choose the right media when planting your orchids. If you are going to plant Terrestrial orchids, such as paphiopedilums and some cymbidiums, then you can decide to let them grow in soil.

- Most tropical orchids are epiphytes, meaning that they grow in the air, rather than in soil. Their fleshy roots are covered with a layer of white cells called velamen, which acts as a sponge to absorb water. The coating also protects the roots from heat and moisture loss. This time make sure you provide your orchids with good air circulation growing medium. Some epiphytic orchids can also be wired onto slabs of tree fern or cork. As a general rule, fir bark nuggets are the most popular growing medium.

- The growing media must also allow quick drainage of water and give the roots something secure to cling to.

- Depending on the type of orchid, they can be happy growing in peat moss, fir bark, dried fern roots, sphagnum moss, rock wool, perlite, cork nuggets, stones, coconut fiber, lava rock or a blend that combines several of these materials.

Have you ever wondered how can carnations can be propagated to be the most productive? Which part of the carnations that are commonly used to be propagated? Are you going to have your beautiful carnations pot bought from the florist propagated as you love the color a little bit too much? The answer is listed down below for your reference:

1. Carnations can be propagated by using seeds. Usually, the carnations seeds will  be sowed, 1/8 inch deep in a well-drained mix. After that, they are spaced around 12" apart. When you prepare the compost, make it well-ventilated and provide enough moisture but not let it too wet. Next, gently press / firm the soil over the seeds. Remember to mist spray occasionally too keep it moist enough. The seeds will germinate in 2 to 3 weeks with cautious care.

2. You can also use cuttings to propagate carnations. Usually, carnations are propagated from cuttings taken from the new growth at the tips of the healthy, mature plants. But cuttings taken from the terminal growth can also be used to propagating. Watering the parent plant the day prior to planting to help minimize damage to the plant and produce for a healthier cutting. The cuttings, can be from four to six inches long are pick up and the basal leaves of at least two to three nodes are removed. After that, dip the cuttings in plant rooting hormone and pot it within pure sand / well-ventilated media. The lower leaves must not touch the surface and maintain good moist and warm until they root. Cuttings become ready for transplantation in 25 to 30 days. This method is preferably used if you are going to plant perennial Carnations.

3. Try using division because Carnations grown by division can help us to refresh older plants. If you want to plant carnation through division, first dig up the clump left buried, and either pull it apart using your hands to separate the plant segments, or use two gardening forks inserted in the center of the clump, to gently pry the plant apart. After that, replant each new division as you would like to have a new perennial or annual, and water it carefully.

Iris plants are valued for their showy, delicate blooms in the spring, making them become one of the top flower spikes. While Iris are thought to be an easy care perennial in some zones, they do require some care after their time of blooming to make sure that they will be ready for the next season. Aside from feeding and cutting back flower spikes and foliage, you may also need to learn some handy steps to help keep your iris healthy after blooming so that you could use them for the next crop.

1. When you see the flowers start to spent, cut those iris blooms from the stalk. Make sure you do this prior to seeing them become papery to help prevent seed formation. Remove the flower stalk once the last bloom is fading, cutting it from the plant near the base.

2. It’s highly recommended that you should divide your iris clumps every three to five years. The best time is four to six weeks after blooming has finished. Cut rhizomes so that each section has at least one healthy set of leaves and firm, white roots.

3. After blooming time, your iris still need fertilizing. Therefore, fertilize the spent iris with a 1/2 cup of 5-10-10 fertilizer per clump, applied about 6 inches away from the rhizome to prevent fertilizer burns. Water the clump to promote feeding.

4. Cut foliage back to about 6 inches from the ground in the fall, when it is already beginning to fade to help prevent leaf spot and iris borers.

5. During the winter time, you can put a light mulch on top the soil around the irises, but don't let them cover the roots. This is because during wet winter weather, especially in mild coastal regions, rot or bacteria issues can easily occur if the iris roots are buried under mulch.

Every year, potted mums start blooming when the autumn is about to come and fading little by little into early winter, showing up their colorful, bushy blossoms in what seems abundant in colors but blue. For those who have a nice decorative pot mums indoors or outdoors, they may start tossing out their potted mums after they fade. But if you want to see your potted mums continue to grow through seasons and make it through the winter, then you can save them by pruning the plants to re-grow next year.

So, why do we have to prune the Mums?

If you don't prune them, your potted mums will become taller with bushy looks in the following year. Moreover, in order to raise these types of flowers, a gardener must prune or "pinch" mums so that all of the plant's resources are concentrated on just one or two blossoms. Whether you want to plan your mums in pots or in the ground, it’s still necessary to prune them regularly to provide them a nice shape and promote new shoots/ buds to form.

Here’s a good pruning practice for your potted mums to promote their best shapes:

1. When the flowers start to fade, you can pinch off those spent flowers just under the fading heads to encourage your mums to continue blooming throughout fall. When you see bloomings continue to grow, it will likely not be a profuse as the first round of flowers.

2. When your potted mums completely finish growing, it’s highly recommended that you should cut potted mums back to within 2 inches of the soil. To help them thrive through the harsh winter, store them in an area that is about 60 degrees Fahrenheit and is subject to natural daylight hours but not in direct light – as it can burn the mums’ foliage. During the winter time, keep watering the plants and maintain a suitable moisture. Don’t let their legs get soaked as the potted mums can easily catch diseases. If you transplanted the mums in the ground, water them during dry spells.

3. Use hand clippers to pinch back stems just under a leaf set in spring after the stems grow to be 4 - 6 inches tall. It’s better to pinch them back just under a leaf set, leaving two or three sets of the leaves on each stem, as this will help the plants to have energy for use. You can also pinch under the first set of leaves. From each pinch, expect two lateral stems to form. Continue to maintain the same type of pruning whenever the potted mums’ stems grow to 4 - 6 inches long. Usually, they will grow about that size in a month.

4. You don’t need to pinch after mid-July, as you are going to have another blooming season for your potted mums. Just lets your mums grow and bloom to their fullest potential.

5. Along with pruning, you also have to feed the potted mums in order to help them grow back into a full-blooming plant. Usually, it’s best to fertilize your mums with an all-purpose fertilizer, following strictly with the rate listed on the label. Combining a good plan of fertilizing on the same day as pruning in spring and summer.

6. Mums are easy planting and they can grow into new stems or plants after a period of time. So once you’ve done with cutting your potted mums back for winter, check to see if the stems and crown have divided into more than one plant. If so, you can remove the plants from the pot, separate and replant each one in a 6 inch planting pot using a high-quality potting soil. Do this for propagation.

Wave petunias may come with a mass of color that usually lasts through summer. These Wave petunias are found to be able to reach the heights of only 5 to 7 inches, and their plants can spread out as much as 3 feet. Standard Wave Petunias Varieties are Cool Wave, Shock Wave, Easy Wave, Double Wave and Tidal Wave.

Caring for Wave Petunias may require many individual steps and depend on other factors. However, you might need to note in mind these important things

Pinching

If you leave it for longer period, you might sometimes need pinching Wave Petunias to promote new growth. However, if properly cared, Wave petunias don’t need pinching for they can be left to create full, bushy plants. The standard petunias usually are upright plants growing from a main stem; however, Wave petunias grow outward from the center, or crown of the plant, making new growth to spread and bloom over the old growth, creating a mound of vibrant color.

Deadheading

If you have previously cared for the standard petunias, you might need to perform regular deadheading to keep them blooming prolifically throughout the season. Meanwhile, wave petunias don’t need deadheading. This is because when the flowers wilt and dry up, you will see them falling naturally from the plant, and new blooms soon takes their place. Usually after mounds of new growth cover up the older growth, blooms show up only on the stem tips of older growth.

Pruning

You don’t have to process any pruning to the wave petunias during their growing season/ crop / year-round. But sometimes you might notice the plants start to look forlorn, leggy and ragged in midsummer, then a pruning might be necessary. This time, cut them back to about half their length. It’s advisable that you should water and fertilize the Wave petunias plants immediately after pruning to help healthy new growth.

Light Condition

Wave petunias grow best when they are in place of 5 to 6 hours of daily sunlight.

Fertilizer

Fertilize wave petunias with time-release fertilizer added to the soil or potting mixture at planting time. After that, only apply a water-soluble fertilizer every two weeks.

Watering and Soil Condition Care

Aside from the water-soluble fertilizing every two weeks as mentioned above, if you touch on the soil and feel it too dry, water your wave petunias immediately. But because Wave petunias can tolerate slightly dry soil with no adverse effect, this doesn’t mean the soil should left completely dry. You might need to water for the plants a little bit more during summer time. However, it’s important to note in mind that the soil after watering should not remain too wet, as soggy soil promotes rot and disease.

If you plant petunias in pots / containers, you might need to apply daily irrigation during hot weather.

1. Hyacinth is just used as the common name for more than 30 perennial flowering plants of the genus Hyacinthus (order Liliales, family Liliaceae) of the Mediterranean region and Africa.

2. The common Hyacinth (Hyacinthus Orientalis) will have their flowers open fully upon blooming. The Flowers are usually in blue, white, pink and look like little starfishes. Don’t confuse them with the common grape Hyacinth flowers (Muscari Botryoides). The common grape Hyacinth have tighter blooms in a raceme which are similar to the clusters of grapes. Both are spring-blooming bulb plants.

3. Basically, Hyacinth belong to:

Division: Magnoliophyta

Class: Liliopsida

Order: Asparagales

Family: Hyacinthaceae

Genus: Hyacinthus

4. The common garden Hyacinth, Hyacinth Orientalis, was originated in Anatolia and was brought to Europe in the 16th century.

5. They are found to extract fragrant. It has bell-shaped flowers with reflexed petals. Usually come in white, peach, orange, salmon, yellow, pink, red, purple, lavender and blue. Hyacinth leaves are fleshy, glossy green and strap shaped. They have light purple or creamy bulb, usually are covered with dry, papery, skin-like layers.

6. Their origin was first described in an ancient Greek legend.

“Two of the gods, Apollo and Zephyr, adored a handsome young Greek called Hyakinthos. Apollo was teaching Hyakinthos the art of throwing a discus. Zephyr, who was the god of the west wind, however, was exploded with jealousy and he blew the discus back and the discus struck Hyakinthos on the head and killed him. Later a flower grew from his flood and then was named after him by Apollo”.

7. The word 'Hyacinth' has also been found in an ancient language (called 'Thracopelasgian'), spoken 4,000 years ago.

8. In Turkey, Middle East, and along the eastern shores of the Mediterranean have Hyacinth as their native wild flowers. From the time of the Greeks and Romans, Hyacinths were grown widely in Europe. However, the Hyacinth has been disappeared from the history and show up again on the 16th century when it was reintroduced into Western Europe from Turkey and Iran. It has been said that Leonhardt Rauwolf, (a German doctor) brought along some Hyacinths when he visited Turkey in 1573. Ever since the second half of the 16th century, Hyacinths have been cultivated commercially and then granted its popularity since 18th and early 19th century Europe. The bulbs are now grown commercially in the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. In the Netherlands Hyacinths are also grown as cut flowers.

9. In the Victorian language of flowers, the Hyacinths refer to sport or play. The blue Hyacinth means sincerity.

10. Hyacinths bloom from March to April.

Chrysanthemums are usually the best gifts sold in spring and fall. They can be either in potted plants, spray mums, or in full- single blooms. They grow towards late summer and fall when other garden flowers are reaching the end of their blooming cycle, though you can see the florists sell them year-round as the flowers are forced to bloom.

You can grow Chrysanthemums in both garden / greenhouse beds and pots/ containers. They look their best when planted in masses or groups of the same type and perform well in borders. Mums are usually seen to come in a wide range of colors but blue. They have multiple petal forms, from the full- featuring, multi-petaled flowers, spoon styles, spider styles and others featuring a single set of radiating petals.

During their growing period, perform proper trimming of the mums at the right time helps the plants promotes stronger shoots and blooms. If you want to keep your Chrysanthemums during the winter, trimming also help the plants to survive through the winter months for a re-bloom in the following year.

Here are some tips to help you trim chrysanthemums properly:

1. When you want to trim the mums in spring or early summer, grasp the top of each stem between your thumb and forefinger just beneath the topmost set of leaves, gently remove the top stem at this place when you see the stems reach 5 inches in length.

2. Every month, perform pinching of the stems once. Usually, pinch them in May, June and July to help promote the nice shape for your mums. Also, regularly pinching during the early summer boosts the chrysanthemums to produce more lateral branches, leading to fuller foliage and more flower buds in late summer and early fall.

3. During the growing period, always remove fading or spent flowers as those flowers may consume some energy of the plants and may cause disease if leaving them clogging up under the foliage during such long period. Dead flower removal may encourage the plant to produce more blooms. Trim back the flower stem to within ¼ inch of the nearest leaf.

4. If you live in cold regions and don’t want to maintain the plants through the winter, simply trim back the entire plant in late fall after the plants dies back or in early spring. This is because when you leave the dead tops in place until spring, this will help the chrysanthemums survive winter frost, but if you live in regions with light frosts only, then a fall pruning is fine enough.

5. As Chrysanthemums are easy-growing plants, then they don’t need much pruning aside from a little pinching during the summer periods. However, you can still strip off dead and damaged foliage at any time to enhance the plant’s shape.

6. During fall months, you can mulch over the plants to assist chrysanthemums’ survival through winter cold.

Probably you have already heard of Cut Flower and these business over the year; however, have you ever wondered what are the good factors to define a good cut flower? And how can we really valuate them? Continue reading to see your answer below:

Let’s start with what is exactly a cut flower first. So what’s exactly a cut flower?

- A cut flower is any flower that is cut from the plant, thorns trimmed, and are ready to be used in a fresh flower arrangement.

- You can find them either at the florist or freshly cut from the home garden. They are used best for gifts on Special Occasions, either as a single one or as a bunch or a bouquet.

What flowers are usually the best cut flower?

- Aside from roses, the most popular cut flower, you will see Carnations, Gerberas, Chrysanthemums also enjoy a huge demand in the cut flower market. To say so does not mean we exclude Tulips, Gladioli, Lilies, Alstroemerias, Anthuriums and some other native varieties.

So, what actually define a good cut flower?

1. First, according to flowerexperts, a good cut flower should meet the following parameters:

- Appeal and beauty.

- Sweet fragrance.

- Long stemmed.

- Extended vase life.

2. Second, in order to have a Cut Flower that can yield huge trade profitable for their growers and traders, the cut flower must have the ability to

- Make the most production per square foot of cut flower bed.

- Create Extra production value and a productive life as long as the marketing season last.

- Be marketed as Fresh Cut Flowers, while the surplus are sold as dried florals.

- Resist disease and pests.

- Resist to heat and droughts.

- Relatively easy to harvest and handle.

How to make the cut Flower last longer?

- Regularly exchange water to extend its vase life. When exchange the water, cut a bit of the cut underwater.

- Don’t place them near fresh ripe fruit, as they produce ethylene gas which will shorten the flowers' life.