Most spring bulbs produce flowers in bright colors: it’s good to know the dose correctly if you want to get good results.

Fortunately for gardeners who do not have innate knowledge of color, scientists have succeeded in establishing a mathematical relationship between the various colors. Thus, they demonstrated that most people prefer the proportions of color following:
Yellow – 3 Orange – Red 4 – Purple 6 – 9 Blue – Green 8 – 6

The neutrality of white flowers can be used in abundance. However, color is not the only criterion to evaluate regarding the winning combinations: it is also necessary that these different bulbs bloom at the same time to give the desired effect! Here are some tested recipes by experts and should provide excellent results in your own garden. Try them or get inspired to create in other combinations!

Trio yellow, blue and white early-blooming

Scilla sibirica, Narcissus ‘Tête a Tête’ and Narcissus ‘Ice Follies’
Of this group, the first flower to show the tip of its petals cobalt blue Siberian squill will. It blooms for a few weeks when the yellow-flowered daffodil ‘Tête à Tête’ will appear, followed quickly by the white-flowered Daffodil ‘Ice Follies’. Do not forget to buy three times more than squill bulbs of daffodils for color balance!

Trio red, yellow and white in mid-season

Turkestanica Tulipa, Tulipa praestans ‘Unicum’ and Tulipa tarda.
These three charming botanical tulips form our second trio. All three are naturalized easily in most gardens bloom again and tirelessly, year after year. Besides their gorgeous colorful flowers, they produce a beautiful bright green foliage, for T. soon, gray-green, for T. turkestanica, and variegated with creamy white border, T. p. ‘Unicum’. The first to bloom is T. turkestanica. Its starry white flowers are soon joined by the red flowers of T. cayenne p. ‘Unicum’. Shortly after, the bright yellow and white star-shaped flowers of T. soon join the parade. Here, the correct amount will be six T. P. ‘Unicum’ for three T. soon and as many T. turkestanica you enjoy it!

Duo red and white from late mid-season

Tulipa ‘Mount Tacoma’ and Tulipa ‘Red Riding Hood’.
The tulips white ‘Mount Tacoma’ bloom above the vibrant flowers of ‘Red Riding Hood’. To achieve a beautiful, do not drown among the few white flowers red flowers, but the two trim colors or plant more flowers white.

Duo of orange season starts late

Tulipa ‘Orange Princess’ and Tulipa ‘Ballerina’.
Both orange tulips have different characters, but complementary. While elegant flowers in complicated pattern of ‘Ballerina’ bloom on long stems 60 cm high, more than chubby type Peony ‘Orange Princess’ open to a foot of soil. Together they form an extraordinary pair and are used advantageously in equal proportions.

Trio of pink and purple late season

Tulipa ‘New Design’ Tulipa ‘Angelique’ and Tulipa ‘Blue Parrot’.
The Triumph Tulip ‘New Design’ is the first group to deploy to the sun its petals white tinged with pink soft yellow. Known for its long flowering, it is not joined ‘Angelique’ tulip with double flowers pink whose effect consists nevertheless of a variety of shades of pink, pale yellow, pale green and cream. When these two selections are in bloom, the flower buds of ‘Blue Parrot’ to rise above them and open to reveal the blue-purple tinged with purple petals fringed. For a nice balance of colors, there must be at least as many plant bulbs ‘Blue Parrot’ that bulbs ‘New Design’ and ‘Angelica’ combined.

Quartet peach and cream of late season

Tulipa ‘Apricot Parrot’, T. ‘UPSTAR’, T. ‘Queen of Night’, T. ‘Spring Green’.
Romance in the quartet can also become a duo or trio. Select from these four beauties … and stick! The first to bloom should be ‘Apricot Parrot’. This parrot tulip features an enhanced flame flower apricot creamy white to yellow, salmon pink or pale green that thrives at 40 or 45 cm of soil. The tulip double ‘UPSTAR is pink and is 45 cm high. The classic ‘Queen of Night’ is still considered the tulip which is the darkest. Petals dark brown, almost black, open at the end of rods 60 cm high. Finally, ‘Spring Green’ is distinguished by a bright white flowers tinged with pale green feathers and carried by rods 50 cm high. For each of nine bulbs ‘Queen of Night’, plant in six of ‘Spring Green’, five ‘UPSTAR’ and four ‘Apricot Parrot’.

The bulbs that adorn so vividly our spring – tulips, daffodils, hyacinths, squill, crocus and more – must be planted in the fall, between September and early November. Fortunately, their culture is very easy.

They need a sunny location in the spring (they do not fear the summer shade of deciduous trees), in rich soil with good drainage. Poor soil can be amended for planting by incorporating a third of organic matter such as compost.

You plant the bulbs in groups of 10 (for larger) to 25 (for smaller) in a hole to a depth equal to three times their height. Is added to the bottom bulb fertilizer slow release, taking care to mix thoroughly the ground. Is deposited bulbs, the flattened portion and the downwardly pointing upwards, spaced apart three times their diameter.

When the hole is filled with earth, you water thoroughly. It is wise to cover the location of 7 to 10 cm of mulch to prevent damage caused by freezing and thawing.

Squirrels are fond of tulip bulbs and crocus and try to dig them up. One can avoid disappointment by planting more daffodils, hyacinths, squill bulb or any other that the indifferent. It is also possible to protect the plantation of tulips and crocuses surface by placing a chicken wire covered with mulch. The leaves and flower bulbs can creep through the cracks, but the bulbs remain out of reach of rodents.

The oleander (Nerium oleander) is a beautiful bushy plant that grows in hot countries, especially in Mediterranean regions.

Despite its name, there are varieties with flowers of salmon-colored, red, white and yellow. At home, we can grow oleander outside during the summer and as a houseplant that reaches about 2 m high.

To ensure flowering, the plant must undergo a rest period in autumn and winter. During this respite, it is placed in a cool room (temperature below 16 ° C but never below 7 ° C) and well lit.

We stop the fertilizer and watering is reduced. Active growth of oleander stretches from April to September. About March 15, we repeat the watering and fertilizing. To stimulate the next flowering stems are cut in half immediately after flowering.

Very Important: Must wear gloves and wash your hands after pruning because all parts of this plant are highly toxic (leaves, stems, bark, etc..). Also, one should abstain from an oleander if you have children and pets.

The yucca is generally easy to grow, because it requires little maintenance. However, the large plant may show signs of decay (fading and large drop leaves, wilting and softening of the rods, etc..).

The three main causes of a lack of vigor in the yucca are a lack of light, over watering (rot) and an insufficient rooting in its acquisition.

Yucca can live long even if lack of light because it can store a lot of reservations. However, when its reserves are depleted, the stems may wither and become thinner.

We must then place the plant in a well lit. To avoid rot, often caused by excess water, you must let the soil dry out between waterings during the winter.

When buying a yucca, make sure the roots are well developed, otherwise the plant will wither away for lack of not being able to take enough water and nutrients.

Multiply plants by stem cuttings is well known. A stem is cut, it is inserted into a moist and in a short time, the roots are formed. But how many people know that you can also grow a plant from a single sheet?

We cant do it with any plant, but for a small group of plants, it is perfectly permissible. Thus, we get new plants for next to nothing … and without disturbing the parent plant, either, because we only take a single sheet rather than a rod.

You can make leaf cuttings in any season, but usually the “babies” appear more quickly in the spring or summer. It takes only potting soil, a pot or container, a sharp knife, maybe a plastic bag … and a mother plant, of course. No rooting hormone is needed.

African violet

Let us see the technique, step by step, to the African violet (Saintpaulia).

1. Take a healthy leaf and turgid by breaking at the base of the petiole.

2. Trim the end of the petiole at 45 ˚ to equalize the wound.

3. Insert the petiole in a pot of moist, slightly angled so that the underside of the sheet is exposed to light. (You can cover the pot and cutting a plastic bag to reduce water loss during rooting, but it is not mandatory.)

4. Place the cutting in a location quite warm (21 ˚ C, day) and well lit, but protected from direct sunlight.

5. Water when the soil is dry to the touch.

After a few weeks, small leaves emerge from the ground. When they have about a third the size of the sheet-mother, re-pot them. You will discover that there is not only a plant but probably five or six. Separate them gently and Pot them in small individual pots. You’ve just passed your first cutting of sheet!

Other plants

You can use the same technique to multiply rex begonias (Begonia rex) and some other rhizomatous begonias, primroses Cape (Streptocarpus) and gloxinia (Sinningia). For crassula (Crassula), the sedums (Sedum) of kalanchoe (Kalanchoe) and other succulents, simply place the sheet on the ground, without even the press: new roots, then plant a small (only one in this case) will be formed after a few weeks.

For (Sansevieria), draw one of her long fleshy leaved and cut into sections of 3 cm in length, by pressing the lower segment in the soil. Each will produce a new plant. And voila! Producing a plant from a single sheet looks a bit special, but is actually a technique among others that Mother Nature offers to multiply your plants!

Repotting is necessary for houseplants. The amount of minerals in the soil tends to increase with time. However, in excessive quantities, these salts are toxic to plants. When you see a whitish or yellowish crust forming on the rim of a pot, it’s a sign that the toxic level is high and plant need to be repotting.

How often should I repot? The young plants grow quickly and fill the pot with the roots in a short time. It is not uncommon to repot them twice a year. For plants of medium height, annual potting is usually sufficient. For large plants in big pots – which are  enjoying a large mass of soil – we can delay repotting every two to three years or more, provided to an annual planing (removing the top soil and replace it). Finally, if there is no specific season for repotting, better not to repot the plants are dormant, usually in late autumn or winter.

The technique

Choose a pot of about 5 cm larger than the previous one (never more: the roots should not “float” in an excessive amount of compost). It must be equipped with one or more drainage holes. Moisten the soil in advance so that it is easy to handle.

To remove the plant from its pot, invert it by holding the stem between your fingers and tap firmly on the bottom of the pot. This should identify the root ball. Then pull the pot to remove it. If the plant does not move, try to run a knife between the soil and pot. Sometimes you have to break up the pot to remove it.

If the roots circle the pot, cut them. Then with a stick, knock much of the old soil between the roots. Be sure to remove the top soil: this is where toxins accumulate. Do not add “drainage layer” at the bottom of the pot: it is useless and even harmful.

Add moist soil to the bottom of new pot so that the root  is at the right level (approximately 2.5 cm below the rim). Center the ball into the pot and fill with potting soil, again using the stick to push the soil around the roots. Tamp and water well.

And now, already over! Put the plant in direct sunlight for two or three days, if necessary, then place it back on regular spot.

The bird of paradise (Strelitzia reginae) is native to South Africa. Foliage and flowers are spectacular. To ensure flowering, it is grown outside during the summer and inside at the fall. During the winter, it is subjected to a rest period (fertilization is stopped and allowed the soil to dry out well between waterings).

Ideally, you keep the plant near a skylight (the plant reached more than one meter) or to a bright window, but in a room where there is not too hot (keep night temperatures between 13 and 16 ° C).

The bird of paradise bloom better if it is cramped in its pot. In the spring, we proceed to a resurfacing of the pot (removing surface layer of a few centimeters of soil that are replaced with new parts). It is advisable to cut the leaves and flower stalks when they are dry.

Many houseplants benefit from spending the summer outside. Indeed, the climatic conditions prevailing there: sunlight, wind, rain and humidity have beneficial effects on their development. For example, the rain allows frequent cleaning of foliage while bringing water to the substrate. Furthermore, the light outside is good quality and the presence of a breeze allows good ventilation.

We must get out indoor plants after all risk of frost has passed. In the early days, we must protect the plants from wind and direct sunlight, their leaves are not yet sufficiently hardened. It is important for them to undergo a transition to the outside for about two weeks. At first they were out in a shady spot for a few hours and then returned to the inside. They were then exposed to the sun a few hours a day, gradually increasing the number of hours of sunshine daily. After this transition period and after all risk of night frost is removed, you can leave the plants outside overnight.

It is important to respect the needs in light and shade that differ from one plant to another. Moreover, we must not forget that outside, the plants may be attacked by insects and diseases, and be damaged by hail and high winds. It will therefore be monitored. Also, check often the water content of their substrate, because plants grown in pots dry out faster.

The orchid is a universe unto itself. This world brings together some 50,000 cultivars belonging to 750 genera from all parts of the world except the poles. It is varied, both in cropping patterns by shapes and sizes of plants and their flowers. Some are even easier to flower as the African violet, begonia and cyclamen. This is what creates the attraction, causes craze or “disease” in those who are tempted by a first specimen. Are you at risk of orchidomanie?

Botanical distinctions
The orchid flower has three sepals surrounding three colored petals, which is modified by a lip that serves as an attraction and airstrip pollinating insects. These are essential for plant reproduction, because the pollen is glued to the male organs. These are the seeds from this fertilization will be spread by wind. To be sustainable, they must find their place is a microscopic fungal partner that will ensure germination and growth. For some, this association must continue throughout their lives.

Originally from tropical or subtropical, the majority of orchids grown in our homes are epiphytes, that is to say they are committed by their aerial roots to host plants and live well, hanging from the trees. These roots feed the plant by breathing and by drinking rainwater.

Others are lithophytic or semi-terrestrial and live clinging to rocks in the same way. Their culture in an artificial environment should reproduce these conditions. This is also the reason for epiphytic orchids are grown in bark chips. Some are equipped with pseudobulbs, swellings of the stem, which accumulate reserves. They allow the plant to enter into rest during periods of drought.

Culture and maintenance
Orchids available in garden centers and florists do not generally pose a real cultural problem. However, given their sometimes high cost, a few basics can keep them long in health, beauty.

The compost
Epiphytic orchids are preferably grown in pine bark, to allow good ventilation and irrigation of the roots (see recipe below cons). The substrates are prepared previously soaked for 24 hours to ensure their cleanliness and increase their ability to retain water.

The pot
Whatever the material used, potting should promote easy breathing roots, the free flow of water and a solid anchor. The emphasis tends to plastic pots because they retain moisture better. Heavier, those of terracotta ensure a better balance, however, the tall crops. In addition, orchids like to be cramped and just enjoy the pots big enough to contain their root mass.

Brightness and proper humidity
A window facing east or south will satisfy their requirements. The moisture our houses nearby 50% is beneficial, while the culture plate (containing water) may replace the drier atmosphere in winter: the pots rest on a rack or gravel, so that water does not come into contact with the pot.

If you prefer colorful flowers, luxurious, huge … consider the amaryllis. The flowers of this houseplant can grow up to 20 cm thick and each flower stalks can carry up to six!

The amaryllis is a good option of colors: red, pink, orange, purple and white. Shop around and you’ll find yellow flowers, green, doubles, miniatures, trumpet-shaped flowers or even a spider and often bicolored. The interiors of our amaryllis is not the true amaryllis (Amaryllis belladonna), but the Hippeastrum. It grows from a large bulb, up to 12 cm in diameter.

The amaryllis are sold in the fall or early winter, in time to flowering between November and March. The bulbs sold already contain flower buds, which guarantees – or almost – they bloom. You can buy a plant already growing, but you will pay top dollar: a bulb costs less and offers more variety in general.

Choose a bulb

Do not buy any of amaryllis bulb. Indeed, the more, the larger the bloom will be spectacular. Think about well the bulb before purchasing. If you see not just one point, but two plant stalks is that it will be twice as many flowers.

Culture

Make a amaryllis blossom for the first time is easy. You Pot the bulb in a pot about twice its diameter. It sounds small, but it blooms best when the bulb is tight. Leave the top half of the bulb exposed … so there is some space in the pot for the roots! A normal room temperature suits them.

Water sparingly at first and then more widely as the flower stem develops. The soil should be slightly moist at all times. A sunny position is ideal because it will encourage a more robust flower stalk. The bulb will bloom in as little as three weeks, but sometimes five or six weeks. Surprisingly, leaves, long and narrow, often appear while in or after flowering.

For a new flowering

If the first bloom is almost confirmed, we can not say the same of others. Indeed, the amaryllis needs lots of light and fertilizer to make another big plump bulbs can bloom the following year … and if fertilizer is easy to give, the light is completely lacking during our winter seasons. You can help by positioning the bulb outside, after having adjusted to lead sunlight, of course.

A belief as popular as odd is that the sheets are cut after flowering: do not consider it. Where do you want the bulb draws its energy to bloom again if it has no leaves? By cons, in September at the time of entry for the winter, stop watering and cut the foliage turns yellow when.

You can put the bulb in the dark or let in the sun, as you like – the bulb is dormant and will not see the difference! After one to three months of dormancy, you will see new growth point at the top of the bulb, showing that it is time to offer him a new development pattern: sunlight, watering, fertilizing, etc.. for a new flowering.