The genus Geranium contains several species of interest in the garden; but the various plants, collectively called geranium, which are grown as decorative pot plants all belong in the genus Pelargonium.
Annual geraniums are popular for their wide range of brilliant flower color and attractive leaves. They can be grown as bedding plants and in containers on decks and patios, in hanging baskets, or in window boxes. Their use as window plants dates to 1700. Modern hybrids of the various types of Pelargonium have been brought to a high standard of perfection. Leaf-color, scent, longevity of bloom, ease of culture and propagation-there is little to be desired to earn a perfect mark in the window garden. There is great variation in leaf, flower and growth habit of geraniums. They vary in height from 6 inches to several feet, depending on the cultivar and the care given the plants.
Geraniums require a sunny window. Top growth should be sprayed daily, but the soil in the pot should be kept barely moist. Too much water causes leaves to brown and buds to blast and fall off. Cut plants back in May, both branches and main stem. Re-pot if necessary, but if the plant looks healthy just renew the top inch of potting mixture and plunge plant in the garden. You will have to decide whether the geraniums are to blossom during the summer or the winter. They will do either, but not both.
Geraniums need at least four hours a day of direct sunlight in order to flourish and flower well. In very hot areas it may be best to give the plants a few hours of shade midday. Plant geraniums outdoors after all danger of frost is past and the soil has warmed.
Never allow the plants to wilt or the leaves will turn yellow and drop off. Mulch the bed to maintain moisture levels and keep the soil cooler in summer. Soil for geraniums should be well-drained. Geraniums respond well to fertilizer and are stunted and yellowed if not provided enough nitrogen. Fertilize new flowerbeds with one pound of a 10-20-10 fertilizer or the equivalent per 100 square feet. Mix the fertilizer into the soil well. Geraniums usually require additional fertilizer during the growing season every four to six weeks.
Geraniums have the habit of growing tall and lanky; long shoots should be constantly pruned to keep plants shapely and compact. When growing geraniums in containers, choose large pots to hold enough soil for a good root system, and to contain enough water to prevent wilting. Repot into larger containers if they grow so large that they wilt frequently. Select containers with adequate drainage holes, plant in a well-drained soil mix and do not allow pots to sit in water.
Propagating is by stem cuttings, which root in about 5 weeks. They will need several increasingly larger pots during the first summer in the garden.
For winter flowers, the buds appearing from late May through the summer must be ruthlessly pinched out as fast as they appear. For summer flowers on geraniums, a different schedule is used. Lift the plants from the garden in October and pot them. Cut them back, place in a cool room, and water only once a week. From November until the following May the plants should be rested in a dark cellar with just enough watering to prevent complete drying off. In May they are removed from the pot and planted in the garden bed where they begin to flower in several weeks.

The Greek translation of the word Clematis refers to the vine like characteristics of these climbers. Montana Clematis varieties are probably the easiest to grow, very prolific blooming and some of the most vigorous growers. Best for zone 5 and south. All varieties bloom May and June.
Clematis montana ‘Elizabeth’ is a vigorous, deciduous climber and belongs to AHS group. This vigorous, deciduous Clematis has mid green leaves and strongly fragrant, pale pink flowers. The flowers are produced in late spring and early summer and grow on the previous year’s wood. It is the leaf stalks of Clematis montana ‘Elizabeth’ that twine around the support. Elizabeth has vanilla-scented pale pink flowers in abundance in spring with some repeats in late summer. Rich dark foliage compliments the flowers and looks great all summer.
Montana ‘Elizabeth’ is very hardy and is highly suitable for sites which are cold and exposed. Hardy to about -10 degrees F. Needs sun to Partial Shade. Average Water Needs, so water regularly; do not overwater.
Plant deeply to avoid clematis wilt and if wilt occurs cut down to base and plant will shoot again the following season. Feed with bonemeal before and after flowering season, water copiously when in flower. Established plants can benefit from fertilization.
Take stem cuttings 100 to 125mm(4″-5″) long of half ripened wood in July ensure that there are two buds at the base. lnsert in a mixture of peat and sand (equal parts by volume) and place on a hot bed @15-18*C (60-65*F). Pot the rooted cuttings singly into 70mm (3″) pots potting compost. Overwinter in a frost free frame or greenhouse.
In spring pot on into 125mm(5″) pots, and plunge outdoors. Plant out in final quarters from October onwards. Prune after blooming if needed.

Rosemary is one of those wonderful herbs that makes a beautiful ornamental plant as well as a welcome culinary seasoning. Its Latin name, Rosmarinus officinalis, means “dew of the sea” and rosemary is most closely associated with the cooking of the Mediterranean area. Dependent on the variety, it has small, profuse flowers appearing in late spring which range from dark blue through pale blue right down to white.
This aromatic evergreen is an indispensable kitchen herb, it’s used as an ornamental element in the garden, and it is used in aromatherapy. Rosemary is a member of the Labiatae or mint family. Its blue-green, needlelike foliage and compelling fragrance make this tender perennial a must in any garden. Another great advantage of rosemary is that it is a perennial and will last for twenty years or more with only minimal pruning once a year. Rosemary is a good choice if you want shrubs that are able to withstand droughts well. It will survive a severe lack of water for lengthy periods of time.
You don’t need perfect sunshine, sea mist or even a never ending summer to successfully grow rosemary. In fact, more rosemary plants suffer from too much attention than from too little. Growing rosemary indoors in the winter can be a challenge. It is easy to nurture and care for indoor rosemary too much. Excess water will damage the roots and cause the plant to die, so I let the soil dry, then water thoroughly.
Rosemary prefers a light soil, a sandy soil will fully satisfy its meagre feeding needs. Having said that, rosemary is tolerant of most soil conditions as long as they are not water-logged. Rosemary prefers a slightly limey soil (the opposite of acid) because this results in smaller plants with more fragrant leaves. True to it’s origins, rosemary prefers sunny and sheltered conditions. It will stand severe frosts if conditions are not windy and wet as well. If you live in subzero winter temperatures, grow your rosemary in containers so you can move the plants to a cool, sunny room in the winter. If you live in a warm climate, don’t leave your rosemary near a hot window.
Start with plants grown from cuttings, since rosemary often is hard to grow from seed. Propagating Rosemary by cutting requires about an 8cm cutting be taken from new growth in late spring (cut just below a leaf joint). Place the cutting in a small pot filled with potting compost. Stand the pot in water to enable the compost to draw water up. Once the compost is moist place the pot under glass of some kind (I.e. a windowsill propagator or clear plastic bottle) to retain heat. The cutting should develop roots and be ready for transplanting about 2 months after the cutting.
Grow in sandy soil with pH level of 7-8. Pinch the tips to direct growth. Once you have a well-established plant, increase your supply by taking cuttings. Don’t take more than 20 percent of the plant, however. Check container-grown plants twice a year and shift to larger containers when roots become crowded. Some varieties of rosemary grow as high as six feet.
Getting it off ground level will help to reduce humidity and increase drainage. Also, don’t crowd your Rosemary. With a few exceptions they are large plants and need space. This is especially important if you have humid summers, because it allows air to move more freely around the plant. If your soil is rich in organic matter, you should never need to fertilize. If your Rosemary is already planted and you want to improve the soil, layer compost three to four inches around the base of the plant. If you spray no harmful chemicals and use only organic fertilizers, the critters at ground level and below will take your compost to the plants roots and nourish the plants and the soil.
If transplanting from pot to the outside soil make sure to the base of the plant is at the same depth (the top) of the soil as it was in the pot. Transplant rosemary to their its final position not an intermediate position. A compost tea feed can be applied to the soil every month during the growing soil although Rosemary does not require a rich soil. If growing rosemary in containers then water when the potting soil is about to dry out.
The biggest problem with growing rosemary indoors is its tendency to get powdery mildew. Powdery mildew is a white, powdery fungus that can develop if the surrounding air is humid and there is not enough air movement. Powdery mildew won’t kill your rosemary, but it will weaken the plant. Keep the humidity low by allowing the soil to dry somewhat between waterings, keeping the plant in sunlight and, if necessary, running a fan for a few hours a day to create a breeze.

Clover (Trifolium), or trefoil, is a genus of about 300 species of plants in the pea family Fabaceae. The genus has a cosmopolitan distribution; the highest diversity is found in the temperate Northern Hemisphere, but many species also occur in South America and Africa, including at high altitudes on mountains in the tropics. Clovers originated in southeastern Europe and southwestern Asia Minor. They were once believed to be a curative for heart disease because of their heart-shaped leaves. Modern medicine has extracted a chemical, coumarin, from clover which is used as a blood thinner
Several species are extensively cultivated as fodder-plants. The most widely cultivated clovers are White clover Trifolium repens and Red clover Trifolium pratense. Clover, either sown alone or in mixture with ryegrass, has for a long time formed a staple crop for soiling, for several reasons; it grows freely, shooting up again after repeated mowings; it produces an abundant crop; it is palatable to and nutritious for livestock; it grows in a great range of soils and climates; and it is appropriate either for pasturage or green composting.
Not only does clover act as a cover crop, it also enriches the soil with nitrogen and prevents erosion. Clover snatches nitrogen out of the air, bringing this most essential fertilizer “down-to-earth” by means of nitrogen-fixing bacteria living in nodes along the roots — all at no cost to you, in terms either of money or of maintenance. The plant’s fast growing quality and aesthetic appeal makes it popular among lawn growers. Clover tolerates compacted soil better than lawn grass does. It has longer roots, enabling it to access water at deeper levels.
Clover does best when planted in spring and summer. If you wish to add clover to your lawn, power rake or otherwise scruff the soil surface to provide good soil to seed contact. Seed at a rate of 2 to 8 oz. per 1,000 square feet, depending on the amount of clover desired in the lawn. At 8 oz. per 1,000 square feet, clover will become the dominant plant. Ensure that the seeds are not planted too deep. Clover seeds are very small and should not be sowed deeper than half an inch.
The first requirement for planting Clover is not unlike the requirements of other forage crops. pH should have been adjusted well before planting and seedbed preparation should begin with a very thorough disking of the selected site in September. The food plot should then be harrowed to achieve a uniform planting surface. This is the first step that can be overlooked with some other forages that one should pay special attention to with clover.
Since clover seeds are small, uniform distribution may be difficult. Mix sawdust or Milorganite, a low analysis organic fertilizer, with the seed prior to spreading to simplify distribution. Keep soil moist until clover has become established. Clover will not thrive under a program of heavy fertilization. Remember that adequate moisture is critical for clover growth as it keeps the bacteria alive. Water the plot using spray nozzle. Make sure you do not use a strong nozzle for this purpose as it can wash the seeds.
If you consider clover a weed, and want to control it, spray with MCPP in spring or fall, when temperatures are expected to remain cool. Do not use it when temperatures are predicted to reach 80 to 85 degrees within 24 hours. MCPP, (short for 2-(2-methyl-4-chlorophenoxy) propionic acid), may be listed as mecoprop and is the active ingredient in clover and chickweed killer. It is also found in some general purpose broad-leaf weed killers. Wait 3 to 4 weeks before reseeding after using MCPP. Don’t reapply MCPP if clover appears unaffected. Usually it takes 6 to 8 weeks for the clover to disappear.