If you're looking to brighten up those beds a bit, a great flower to plant in the summer is Celosia. The name is derived from the Greek word κηλος (kelos), meaning "burned," - and with one look at it, you'll know why.
Celosia is prized for its bright, velvety heads and resilience to the heat of the summer. It's relatively drought-tolerant and can withstand very wet soil without being affected by root rot. Pests are rarely a problem. The flowers are generally bright magenta, yellow, or pink, and they stand out very well when used on borders or in pots.
It's an annual, but creates thousands of seeds, so untended beds may get volunteers again next season. In some parts of the world, it is grown as a food source, and the leaves are known to be very nutritious.
Celosia will grow anywhere from 6” to 8” tall, depending on the variety, and the flowers will stick around until fall arrives. Those of you who hesitate to plant annuals due to their shorter life spans, take note: celosias bring texture, color and longevity, all in one plant! |
How often do I need to re-pot my plants into larger containers?
Answer:
Unfortunately, plants are not like the fish in your tank that only grow to the size of their home. Plants grow root-bound when the amount of plant root volume exceeds the amount of soil volume in their container.
To check, gently lift out your plant from its container. If you can see mostly roots and very little soil, then it is time to transplant your plant into a larger container.
Select a container that is about 20% larger in volume than your existing pot. A good rule of thumb is not to use a container that is more than 4 inches wider and deeper than your existing root ball. Use a good potting soil and make sure that the top of the existing root ball is even with the top of the soil in the new container.
When you are done, you should have no more than 2" of new soil surrounding all sides of the root ball. Add a little starter food, water in and you're good to go!
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If you have plants that suddenly keel over in the middle of the night, you might have cutworms. Closer inspection will usually reveal that the main stem has been severed from the roots.
The adult cutworms are night-flying moths that lay eggs on grass tips or on the soil next to lawn or plant stems in the fall. In the spring, the larvae emerge and begin developing, feeding on leaves, buds and soft plant stems as they mature. They get their name from their habit of "cutting" off a seedling at ground level by chewing through the stem. A number of species are involved, so identification is most easily done by identifying the damage. Most cutworms will roll up in a ball if disturbed.
Natural remedies include pouring a ring of molasses around the plants, and placing foil or cardboard collars around your plants. Collars should penetrate at least an inch down and up several inches. Also helpful are beneficial nematodes or a pesticide.
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