Tips on How to Grow Sunflowers From Seed

The sunflower (Helianthus annuus) is a fascinating plant to grow, especially for children. Whether growing for competition or pleasure, exercising  the following advice will help provide your sunflowers with the best conditions for good growth and health.

Selecting A Sunflower Species To Grow

The first step in growing sunflowers is deciding on the species you wish to grow. There are 67 species of sunflower across the world with single or multiple stems, growing heights, head sizes and colours. Read through the details of each popular species below to help make an informed choice on the sunflower you plan to grow.

Music Box is what's know as a dwarf variety, growing to a maximum height of 28 inches, making it suitable for container growing.  
 
Teddy Bear species of sunflower smaller than Music Box, growing to around 12 - 18 inches.

Italian White sunflowers, also a small variety but with an attractive cream coloured flower.

Autumn Mix unlike the above, normally grows over 6ft in height with yellow and rust coloured flower head, 5 - 6 inches in diameter.

Largest Sunflower Species such as the Russian Giant grows in excess of 15 feet tall with a large head diameter up to 20 inches. Obviously, larger sunflower species will demand more space than the other species mentioned previously. Great fun if you have room to grow them though.

What's The Best Location For Growing Sunflowers

Grow sunflowers in soil exposed to direct sunlight and sheltered from wind. Protect your sunflowers by supporting the stem with a bamboo stake as soon as the sunflower reaches 1ft in height. This will help the stem grow straight and protect the sunflower from wind damage.

When the sunflower matures, the heavy weight of the head on the tall stem leaves the sunflower vulnerable to wind damage. Because wild sunflower only grows between 2 and 6ft in height, the risk of wind damage is far less than that of the domestic sunflower.

What's The Best Soil For Growing Sunflowers

Plant your seedlings in good quality soil such as my personal favourite - Miracle Grow potting mix which has good water retention, enriched with plant food. Always ensure soil is kept moist and prevent it from drying out completely. Consider adding manure to the garden soil where you intend to plant your seeds or seedlings.

Tips For Germinating Sunflower Seeds

If you prefer to germinate your sunflower seeds before planting in soil, layer at least 10 sheets of absorbent kitchen roll paper towel placed on a plate then soak with water. Sprinkle seeds evenly over the wet paper towel before placing them in a warm space such as an airing cupboard. The more sheets of paper towel you use, the better the water holding capacity, meaning less frequent watering will be required.

Checking seeds with regular watering will prevent the paper towel from drying up, especially common in warm environments or direct sunlight. When your sunflower seeds begin to germinate, plant into potting compost mixed with manure into your garden at a depth of 2 inches, spaced 1 - 2ft apart.

Sowing Sunflower Seeds In Pots

If you're germinating your sunflower seeds in pots, sow a single seed in each pot at a depth of 1 inch in 3 inch diameter pots. Use good quality potting compost such as Miracle Grow potting mix, before covering the top of the pot with clear cling film.

When green leaves appear above the soil after germinating, remove film and place pot near a window that gets the most sunlight throughout the day if possible. Turn the plant pot 180 degrees in the morning and again in the evening, checking to ensure the soil is kept moist.

If the pot was too small or the sunflower has been left in the pot too long, there will likely be a heavy build up of roots around the walls of the pot. Because sunflowers have long taproots capable of growing 4ft deep, allowing the plant to reach this stage in pots will severely hamper growth.

Overcrowded roots can be safely removed by cutting off no more than 1/3 with a sharp knife. Break away and discard dead soil surrounding the roots of the sunflower before planting in the garden. Remember to take care not to damage the remaining healthy roots in the process.

Sowing Sunflower Seeds In The Garden (Recommended)

Sowing seeds directly into the garden is my preferred method in which I have had the most success. Sow your sunflower seeds after the last winter frost has passed and night temperatures have raised to over 5º or 10º Celsius. Sow in loose soil at a depth of around 50mm (2 inch) spaced 1 - 2ft apart. Water seeds regularly until 2ft high when the second set of leaves appear. Liquid fertiliser should be added to the water for feeding from this point forward.

Sunflower Facts

1. The sunflower (Helianthus annuus) is a fascinating plant to grow, especially for children. Sunflowers can grow up to 12ft high with a head diameter of up to 30cm (1ft).
2. The head of the sunflower, often erroneously referred to as a flower, consists of 1000 - 2000 individual flowers. The petals surrounding the head are ray flowers.
3. Sunflowers are one of the fastest growing plants in the world, growing up to 30cm (1ft) per day.
4. A fascinating characteristic of the sunflower is its ability to track the direction of the sunlight by pointing the sunflower head towards the sun. This behavior is referred to as heliotropism.
5. Wild sunflowers have smaller seeds, growing several branches and/or stems with more than one head. It is only through hundreds of years of careful, hand-picked seed selection is the domestic sunflower much larger with a single stem and flower head.
6. The sunflower is the state flower for Kansas, USA and the national recognised flower for Russia.
7. According to the Guinness Book of World Records, the tallest sunflower ever grown was in 1986 by M Heijms in Oirschot, Netherlandsat a height of 25ft 5.5 inches (776 cm).
8. The largest sunflower head ever recorded by the Guinness Book of World Records measured 32 1/4 inches (82 cm) in diameter, grown by Emily Martin from Maple Ridge, Canada in the hot summer of 1983.
9. Although native to America, 60% of the world population of sunflowers are grown in Europe and Russia. Popular species with sunflower growers starting with the tallest: Moonwalker, Pastiche, Velvet Queen, Russian Giant and the smaller Teddy Bear and Big Smile species.
10. Sunflowers are very effective for attracting butterflies, bees and birds.
11. Sunflowers are used to produce sunflower oil. As a seed, they are used for bird feed and as a healthy snack for children and adults.
12. Sunflower seeds have a 50% polyunsaturated fat content and are rich in Omega-6 which has been proven to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. Sunflower seeds are rich in calcium along with a number of other vitamins and minerals.
13. The scientific name for sunflowers; Helianthus derives from two Greek words, Helios meaning sun and Anthos meaning flower.
14. Sunflowers are perennial plants that grow each year.
15. Sunflower seeds are toxic to grass so distance them from your lawn which would be killed by falling seeds.

Sunflowers: An Excellent Choice For Kids

Sunflowers are an excellent choice of plant for children to grow. They are visually appealing, attract a range of insects such as butterflies, bees and birds in addition to being easy to grow.

You may be able to encourage friends or neighbours to compete with, seeing who can grow the tallest sunflower. I personally have fond memories of being a 9 year old child, competing with my next door neighbour. If my memory serves me correctly, I managed to grow three sunflowers at a height of about 6ft. Although being so young, everything seems bigger at that age, so I may well be wrong. I know, I shouldn't boast, but naturally I did win.... naturally of course.:) Sorry!!

The BBSRC (Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council... phew) have produced a sunflower growing activity eBook for young children to grow their very own sunflower, whilst learning how plants grow.

Sunflower Plant Care

Sunflowers need plenty of watering and sunlight, taking approximately two weeks to appear and 90 days to fully grow. If using chemical weed killer, make sure it is suitable for use on sunflowers or pull weeds out by hand. Over-watering sunflowers will likely damage flower heads, particularly 20 days before or 20 days after full bloom.

Pour around 2 gallons of liquid fertiliser solution each week around the roots of the sunflower, taking care not to pour the solution over the stem as this has been found to cause sunflower stems to rot.

Try to position your sunflowers so they spend as much time in the sun as possible, preferably 6-8 hours or more. If heavy winds are forecast, put off watering until the wind has passed to prevent the sunflower from getting blown over.

Original article: Tips On How To Grow Sunflowers From Seed [http://www.gardengrower.co.uk/tips-how-to-grow-sunflower-seeds] @ Garden Grower Blog

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Growing Vegetable Seeds Indoors For an Early Start

It is easy to grow a great crop of vegetables and despite some people thinking it is a science it really is simple. You may have heard about people being labelled as having "green fingers" but they are not special, it is just that they may have followed the instructions about growing vegetables.

I have a simple rule. Read the back of the seed packet and follow the instructions but remember you can cheat. Looking at the back of some of my seed packets it tells me when I should sow the seeds, plant spacing, time to harvest and so on but I live in the UK where the instructions, (and seeds), tend to be slightly different from the US and other parts of the world. However, the information is more or less the same. I am looking at some seed packets my Sister in Law brought me over at Christmas from the US and they have the same information on as the UK packets, how long to germination, how long to harvest, planting depth and plant spacing. The only difference is the zone system which is based on temperature but here in the UK we have a 900 mile difference between south and north so we have to take temperature into consideration as well.

So how do you cheat? Well the planting time is based on how likely it is that the seed will germinate and this is based on the temperature of the soil and outside it is currently 38F. I am typing this in my kitchen where it is 79F and this is the simplest way to cheat. Sow your seeds indoors. Looking at a pack of chilli seeds in front of me the recommended sowing time is in 6 weeks time. Mine have been growing for the past 6 weeks and this means an extra 3 months growing time. My chilli harvest is fantastic and I do something similar for my tomatoes and other crops as well.

What I do is work out what temperature the seeds need to germinate. This allows me to figure out if I need to apply heat to the seeds or just let them use room temperature. I used to sow the seeds in small flats, (seed trays), but I now find it earlier to use cell trays. I put one seed in each cell and just let it grow. Do I cover the seeds, well it all depends on what advice is given on the seed packet, but generally I cover the seeds to at least their own depth with finely sieved compost or fine grade vermiculite. They may need to be deeper than this so check the seed packet. I like the cell system as it allows me to plant a complete root system out when I transfer the seedlings to a plant pot, with a flat you tend to get root disturbance.

If the seed needs heat, I give it heat. I have an expensive electric seed propagator but I do not tend to use this except for keeping small plants warm on cold nights in the greenhouse. I either use a shelf near a radiator which is fairly warm or I have an old heating mat I used to use when I made my own wine. Either way the temperature is higher than just standing the flat on a windowsill. If I do not need the extra heat other than already in the room, I just use the windowsill and you will find that the seeds germinate fairly well.

Once your seeds have germinated you need to grow the plants on and I keep them in the cell trays until large enough to transfer to a small plant pot. I turn the seeds daily so that they get equal light on each side otherwise your seeds will just grow towards the light all the time and bend. You can build a cardboard back to the area where the plants are and cover this with aluminium foil which reflects the light on to the back of the growing plant. You could even use an old mirror to do this.

Eventually the temperature outside will have risen enough to allow you to put your plants into the ground. A couple of weeks before you do this you need to do something called hardening off. This is acclimatising your plants to the lower temperatures outside. Simply put, it means putting your plants out during the day and bringing them in at night. Plants can suffer from shock at a sudden drop in temperature so look after them. It is just like you really. If you go out without a coat from a hot house into the snow you very quickly get cold and start to shiver. Your plants are just as tender and need to be looked after as well so harden them off for at least a couple of weeks. Work out when the last frost date is for your area and plant them out after this so there is no danger of them being killed by frost. If you look at many seed packets they may well tell you to sow the seed after this date, but some of my plants will have been growing for 12 weeks before this so I get a much longer growing season than many people do and I think this leads to a much healthier crop and a larger harvest.

Another trick you can use is to cover the ground where the plants are to go with a cloche or plastic. Black plastic is best as this will warm the soil quicker than clear plastic and your plant roots will benefit from being planted into a warmer soil.

A few final points. Always use new flats or plant cells or at least make sure they are clean if you reuse them. To clean mine I soak them in water, use a brush to clean them and finally soak them in a household medical disinfectant to kill off germs. You could use a weak bleach solution or a specialist garden disinfectant, but just be careful with the chemicals whatever you use and use you commonsense. I also do this with my plant pots except for small tomato seedlings where I always buy new but as I only use about 20 a year this is not expensive. The other tip is to use tap water to water your seeds and seedlings. Again this is to help prevent disease. In most countries tap water is chlorinated which basically is like bleach and helps kill off bugs. I use rainwater on my established plants as they can easily cope with it but tap water is best for seedlings.

Once you new plants are in the ground you could use cloches to cover the plants until they are well established. By starting off my seeds inside my house I get at least 4 weeks extra time added to the growing season and this can be much longer. As I have already mentioned, my chilli seed packet talks about sowing the seed outdoors in April but I started mine off in the house just before New Years Eve. This allows me to have a much longer growing season and leads to a heavier and more productive crop of vegetables.

You can learn more about High Density Gardening and growing tomatoes by checking out [http://www.highdensitygardening.com/home.html] which also has free downloadable worksheets on building hotbox compost bins.

Ric Wiley is an internet writer and gardener. His website about High Density Gardening can be found at [http://www.highdensitygardening.com/home.html] and his latest ebook is High Density Gardening

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This Sankey Electric Plant Propagator is an 18w model, this is warm enough for most commonly grown plants and will not be expensive to run. I am sure that you will get very healthy plants using the Sankey Electric Plant Propagator.

Specification

· Size: 52 x 42 x 23.5CM

· 18W heated

· Adjustable ventilation to control air flow Gabled roof to direct condensation to the base

Factors that Influence Successful Seed Plant Propagation

When choosing seed plant propagation, every gardener wants to create optimal conditions for their plants to get off to a good start. There is a lot that goes into germination, and if even one factor is missing, it can have profound effects on your entire crop. Here are the factors that most greatly influence how well your seeds will germinate.

Water - Soaking up water is the first step in germination and therefore successful seed plant propagation, so it should be at the forefront of the mind of any hydroponic gardener. The factors that influence water uptake are the amount of water available in the medium and the thickness and density of the seed covering. You can increase water uptake by making sure that you choose a medium that holds water well. Rockwool, for example, is a very popular choice for exactly this reason. You can also treat your seeds in a number of ways to weaken the shell. These techniques can be as simple as using sandpaper to make the shell thinner to as advanced and complex as soaking the seeds in acid until the shells are worn off.

Temperature - A favourable temperature is also essential for germination. This can be tricky, as optimal temperature can change from plant to plant; the best temperatures for germination are usually a little higher than the best temperatures for seedlings. Optimal germination temperatures can range as low as seventy or seventy-five degrees F for plants such as lettuce, celery, spinach and asparagus. Those that thrive in the middle of the range, about eighty to eighty five degrees, include cabbage, tomatoes, turnips, beans and peppers. On the high end, with plants that do will in temperatures of up to ninety five degrees, you will find squash, watermelon and pumpkin.

You must be cautious about it getting too hot in your grow room. Temperatures of over one hundred degrees have shown to kill seeds in less than a day. Even instances where seeds can survive in such high temperatures, it may suck the moisture away from the medium, making it more difficult for your seeds to germinate. This is why purchasing a couple auxiliary fans attached to a thermostat is a smart investment if you happen to live a particularly warm part of the world.

Oxygen - The rate of respiration increases in the seed dramatically during germination. This means that there is an increased need for oxygen. You may try to keep your grow area well ventilated to prevent it from becoming too stuffy, and use fans to circulate the air.

Light - Light is vital at all stages of plant development, and germination is no exception. Make certain that your seeds are not planted so deep within your medium that they do not receive adequate light. At this early stage and through the seedling stage, it is possible to use a completely white light source, such as fluorescent or white LED lights. Past that, however, you will need to switch to coloured LED lights or high intensity discharge (HID) lights.

Michael Straumietis is co-founder of Advanced Nutrients, an international marketer and manufacturer of agricultural, home & garden, hydroponics and soil less fertilizers and plant nutrients. To discover more about plant propagation, search the article database in the hydroponics gardening section at http://www.advancednutrients.com

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Greenhouse Gardening Techniques

Greenhouses and other glass protection 

1. Install an electricity supply in your greenhouse to give you light and power for watering systems and propagating units.


2. Remove automatic window openers in the winter, as heavy frosts can damage the liquid reservoirs which operate them.


3. Locate greenhouses where they will get plenty of sun in winter and spring, and where you can get to them without getting muddy feet.


4. Grow a pot of basil in your greenhouse to repel whitefly. They don't like the smell.


5. Keep your greenhouse warm in the winter and save on heating bills by lining it with bubble plastic. The bubbles should be against the glass, to form a solid layer of air.


6. Make quick cloches with two sheets of glass and four clothes pegs. Put two pegs on each piece of glass, lean the sheets of glass together, and put a rubber band on each pair of pegs to hold them together.


7. Fix up a clear polythene curtain to separate plants which need different growing conditions such as dry and light for tomatoes or shady and moist for cucumbers.


8. Water your greenhouse in the morning. Evening watering leaves moist conditions overnight which encourage red spider mite.


9. Grow vegetable crops in growbags or tubs rather than in the border soil, to avoid a build-up of diseases and pests.


10. Make your own staging with trestle legs and planks or expanded metal.


11. If you have children in your garden, choose a cheap plastic greenhouse until they are grown-up, or choose rigid plastic glazing rather than glass.


12. For cheap adjustable greenhouse shades, use roll-up bamboo blinds.


13. If using biological pest control methods in your greenhouse. Check with the suppliers whether you can use pesticides without killing the predators you've purchased.


14. Treat wooden structural portions of your greenhouse with linseed oil every live years.


15. Install a water supply in your greenhouse. Even if it is no more elaborate than a tap.


16. Keep a tank in your greenhouse to bring water up to air temperature before using it on your plants. Mains water can be cold enough to shock tender plants in hot weather.


17. If you heat your greenhouse by electricity, keep a small paraffin heater as a backup in case of power cuts.


18. Ask yourself if you really need to heat the whole greenhouse, or whether a propagator would be sufficient to keep your favourite plants going through the winter.


19. Make a cheap cold frame the Chinese way, by digging a pit, lining the sides with sheets of polystyrene, then laying a few bamboo canes across the top to support plastic sheeting for a lid. A layer of gravel in the bottom of the pit will absorb heat during the day and give it off slowly at night.


20. Put cloches out on the growing area at least two weeks before adding plants or seed, to let the soil warm up. Cover the ends to keep out draughts.


21. Cold-frames and cloches attract ants, who like to make nests in warm places, so sprinkle ant killer round the edges to keep them out before they damage your plants.


22. Use plastic water-bottles as individual mini-greenhouses for tender plants. Cut off the bottom and push the bottle firmly into the soil over the plant. Pop a few slug pellets inside and put the lid on until the weather warms up.

Did you know that even a small greenhouse can boost your gardening productivity 10 fold? If you want to know how much you can do with only a Small Greenhouse then check out http://www.gardeningdatafiles.com/gardening-in-a-small-greenhouse

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Electric Plant Propagator

Company Description

Established in 1945, Stewart has an enviable reputation as a UK manufacturer and leading Brand in the Garden products market. Within this market the Stewart brand is widely recognized as representing quality, innovation and excellent customer support.

Stewart 52cm Thermostatic Control Electric Propagator - Black

Technical Details

• Premium Range
• Thermostatic control maintains temperature between 180C and 230C
• Includes a guide to successful Propagation

• Long life economical heaters - 8 watt. Includes starter kit: 1 large seed tray, 2 small seed trays and 10 flower pots

Product Description

Premium electric propagator supplied with a crystal clear lid and sealed heating unit.

An electric propagator creates the perfect conditions for starting off seeds and cuttings. Kept warm and protection, and with the ideal humidity, seeds will grow faster and stronger, and bring your plants to fruit or flower quicker. A quality product made in Britain by Stewart - a respected gardening manufacturer since 1945.    

Stewart 52cm Thermostatic Control Electric Propagator - Black

Role Of Plants In Controlling Indoor Air Pollution

Air Pollution

Environmental pollution is the contamination of the physical and biological components of the atmosphere to such an extent that normal environmental processes are adversely affected. Air pollution is contamination of environment by addition of chemical substances, noxious gases, particulate matter etc which disturb its natural physical and chemical composition.

Air pollution comes from both natural and man-made sources Such as combustion, construction, mining, Agriculture, automobiles, industrialisation and warfare. Common gaseous air pollutants include carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, chlorofluorocarbans (CFCs) and nitrogen oxides along with particulate matter or fine dust.

Consequences of Air pollution.

Pollution causes not only physical disabilities but also psychological and behavioral disorders in human beings such as headache, bronchitis, asthama, irritation of eyes, cardiovascular problems etc. Animals and plants are also affected by pollution.

The World Health Organization estimates that about two million people die prematurely every year as a result of air pollution, while many more suffer from breathing ailments, heart disease, lung infections and even cancer. Fine particles or microscopic dust from coal or wood fires and unfiltered diesel engines are rated as one of the most lethal forms of air pollution caused by industry, transport, household heating, cooking and coal or oil-fired power stations.

Indoor Air Pollution

In addition to outdoor air pollution, Indoor air pollution is now viewed seriously by many health organizations as one of the greatest risk to human health as most of the people spend about 90% of the time indoor either in home or office. Polluted indoor air quality imposes both short term ( Irritation of eyes, headache, nausea, allergic reactions, asthma) and long term (chronic bronchitis, heart disease, lung cancer, liver and kidney damage ) effects on health.

Indoor air quality (IAQ) is a term referring to the air quality within and around buildings as it relates to the health and comfort of building occupants. More than three billion people worldwide continue to depend on solid fuels, including biomass fuels (wood, dung, agricultural residues) and coal, for their energy needs. Cooking and heating with solid fuels on open fires or traditional stoves results in high levels of indoor air pollution. Indoor smoke contains a range of health-damaging pollutants, such as small particles and carbon monoxide.

Indoor Air Pollution is prevalent both at urban and rural levels. Urban Indoor Air pollution can be experienced in poorly ventilated compact buildings such as Apartments, Auditoriums, theatres, hospitals, schools, colleges etc due to human gatherings and modern life style commodities as Air Conditioners, Vacuum cleaners room fresheners, sprays, disinfectants, paints, smoking habit etc. Rural Indoor Air Pollution is mainly due to use of traditional stoves using organic fuel (Coal, wood) for cooking which release large amount of smoke and CO which affects respiratory process.

Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) can be affected by microbial contamination, gases including Radon, CO, CO2, Volatile Organic Compounds as formaldehyde, benzene, trichloroethylene, xylene, toluene, particulate matter, pollen and fungal spores, pesticides etc or any mass or energy stress that can induce adverse health conditions. Most of indoor pollutants are carcinogenic and neurotoxins.

IAQ can be improved by proper ventilation, use of filters and exhaust fans up to some extent. Alternative means to tackle Indoor Air Pollution.

Air Pollution

Environmental pollution is the contamination of the physical and biological components of the atmosphere to such an extent that normal environmental processes are adversely affected. Air pollution is contamination of environment by addition of chemical substances, noxious gases, particulate matter etc which disturb its natural physical and chemical composition.

Air pollution comes from both natural and man-made sources Such as combustion, construction, mining, Agriculture, automobiles, industrialisation and warfare. Common gaseous air pollutants include carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, chlorofluorocarbans (CFCs) and nitrogen oxides along with particulate matter or fine dust.

Consequences of Air pollution.

Pollution causes not only physical disabilities but also psychological and behavioral disorders in human beings such as headache, bronchitis, asthama, irritation of eyes, cardiovascular problems etc. Animals and plants are also affected by pollution.

The World Health Organization estimates that about two million people die prematurely every year as a result of air pollution, while many more suffer from breathing ailments, heart disease, lung infections and even cancer. Fine particles or microscopic dust from coal or wood fires and unfiltered diesel engines are rated as one of the most lethal forms of air pollution caused by industry, transport, household heating, cooking and coal or oil-fired power stations.

Indoor Air Pollution

In addition to outdoor air pollution, Indoor air pollution is now viewed seriously by many health organizations as one of the greatest risk to human health as most of the people spend about 90% of the time indoor either in home or office. Polluted indoor air quality imposes both short term ( Irritation of eyes, headache, nausea, allergic reactions, asthma) and long term (chronic bronchitis, heart disease, lung cancer, liver and kidney damage ) effects on health.

Indoor air quality (IAQ) is a term referring to the air quality within and around buildings as it relates to the health and comfort of building occupants. More than three billion people worldwide continue to depend on solid fuels, including biomass fuels (wood, dung, agricultural residues) and coal, for their energy needs. Cooking and heating with solid fuels on open fires or traditional stoves results in high levels of indoor air pollution. Indoor smoke contains a range of health-damaging pollutants, such as small particles and carbon monoxide.

Indoor Air Pollution is prevalent both at urban and rural levels. Urban Indoor Air pollution can be experienced in poorly ventilated compact buildings such as Apartments, Auditoriums, theatres, hospitals, schools, colleges etc due to human gatherings and modern life style commodities as Air Conditioners, Vacuum cleaners room fresheners, sprays, disinfectants, paints, smoking habit etc. Rural Indoor Air Pollution is mainly due to use of traditional stoves using organic fuel (Coal, wood) for cooking which release large amount of smoke and CO which affects respiratory process.

Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) can be affected by microbial contamination, gases including Radon, CO, CO2, Volatile Organic Compounds as formaldehyde, benzene, trichloroethylene, xylene, toluene, particulate matter, pollen and fungal spores, pesticides etc or any mass or energy stress that can induce adverse health conditions. Most of indoor pollutants are carcinogenic and neurotoxins.

IAQ can be improved by proper ventilation, use of filters and exhaust fans up to some extent. Alternative means to tackle Indoor Air Pollution

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6630560

Finding the Grow Lights System Appropriate For Your Indoor Garden Application

Grow lights are electric lamps that are designed to encourage healthy plant growth by emitting electromagnetic radiation that provides the right conditions for the plant to undergo photosynthesis. This emitted light spectrum is much like that which comes from the sun, except that because it comes from a light, the plant does not need natural sunlight or even to be outdoors in order to benefit from it. Did you know that the lighting that comes from natural daylight has a high color temperature that makes the light appear bluish? Grow lights can replicate this same 6000°K lighting, so the plant grows and matures much like it would if it were outdoors and soaking up the full benefit of natural sunlight.

However, grow lights do not only emit a bluish cast of light. There are different light spectrums that are needed for different stages of growth in a plant. The plant in its initial vegetative state requires blue, but the flowering stage that occurs later on needs red and orange spectrums. Grow lights are available in colors all throughout the plant growth spectrum, and some specialty bulbs will be able to cover the entire spectrum.

So how are these lights used? Grow lights are used in conjunction with a reflector, which is used to intensify light emissions and direct how it falls onto the plant, and with an electrical ballast, which serves as a current controller to the grow light. The electrical ballast is a definite requirement, due to the high intensity of the light that is needed in order to replicate natural sunlight.

Today's types of grow lights include fluorescent lamps, high intensity discharge lamps, standard incandescent bulbs and even LEDs. High pressure sodium and metal halide are the most commonly used for professional flower and vegetable plant growing. Both are considered high intensity discharge lamps, and both must be carefully set up to ensure optimal plant growth.

You'll find grow light systems in use for plant propagation and food production, as well as indoor gardening and even for the raising of aquatic plants. These lights are almost always used on an industrial level, but will sometimes be found in private homes and small businesses.

Grow lights are available for purchase in most hardware and home and garden stores, and on specialty websites. They come in a variety of bulb sizes and types, are sold individually and in packs, and come with guidelines for usage and warranties. For more information about lighting for assisting plant growth in a synthetic setting, check with a professional in the plant growth industry.

Kimberly Green is a girl with a green thumb, sharing her insight to the wide world of Grow Lights [http://www.accessdiscounts.us] and Grow Light Systems [http://www.accessdiscounts.us/grow-light-systems.html]

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kimberly_Green

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Growing Vegetable Seeds Indoors For an Early Start

It is easy to grow a great crop of vegetables and despite some people thinking it is a science it really is simple. You may have heard about people being labelled as having "green fingers" but they are not special, it is just that they may have followed the instructions about growing vegetables.

I have a simple rule. Read the back of the seed packet and follow the instructions but remember you can cheat. Looking at the back of some of my seed packets it tells me when I should sow the seeds, plant spacing, time to harvest and so on but I live in the UK where the instructions, (and seeds), tend to be slightly different from the US and other parts of the world. However, the information is more or less the same. I am looking at some seed packets my Sister in Law brought me over at Christmas from the US and they have the same information on as the UK packets, how long to germination, how long to harvest, planting depth and plant spacing. The only difference is the zone system which is based on temperature but here in the UK we have a 900 mile difference between south and north so we have to take temperature into consideration as well.

So how do you cheat? Well the planting time is based on how likely it is that the seed will germinate and this is based on the temperature of the soil and outside it is currently 38F. I am typing this in my kitchen where it is 79F and this is the simplest way to cheat. Sow your seeds indoors. Looking at a pack of chilli seeds in front of me the recommended sowing time is in 6 weeks time. Mine have been growing for the past 6 weeks and this means an extra 3 months growing time. My chilli harvest is fantastic and I do something similar for my tomatoes and other crops as well.

What I do is work out what temperature the seeds need to germinate. This allows me to figure out if I need to apply heat to the seeds or just let them use room temperature. I used to sow the seeds in small flats, (seed trays), but I now find it earlier to use cell trays. I put one seed in each cell and just let it grow. Do I cover the seeds, well it all depends on what advice is given on the seed packet, but generally I cover the seeds to at least their own depth with finely sieved compost or fine grade vermiculite. They may need to be deeper than this so check the seed packet. I like the cell system as it allows me to plant a complete root system out when I transfer the seedlings to a plant pot, with a flat you tend to get root disturbance.

If the seed needs heat, I give it heat. I have an expensive electric seed propagator but I do not tend to use this except for keeping small plants warm on cold nights in the greenhouse. I either use a shelf near a radiator which is fairly warm or I have an old heating mat I used to use when I made my own wine. Either way the temperature is higher than just standing the flat on a windowsill. If I do not need the extra heat other than already in the room, I just use the windowsill and you will find that the seeds germinate fairly well.

Once your seeds have germinated you need to grow the plants on and I keep them in the cell trays until large enough to transfer to a small plant pot. I turn the seeds daily so that they get equal light on each side otherwise your seeds will just grow towards the light all the time and bend. You can build a cardboard back to the area where the plants are and cover this with aluminium foil which reflects the light on to the back of the growing plant. You could even use an old mirror to do this.

Eventually the temperature outside will have risen enough to allow you to put your plants into the ground. A couple of weeks before you do this you need to do something called hardening off. This is acclimatising your plants to the lower temperatures outside. Simply put, it means putting your plants out during the day and bringing them in at night. Plants can suffer from shock at a sudden drop in temperature so look after them. It is just like you really. If you go out without a coat from a hot house into the snow you very quickly get cold and start to shiver. Your plants are just as tender and need to be looked after as well so harden them off for at least a couple of weeks. Work out when the last frost date is for your area and plant them out after this so there is no danger of them being killed by frost. If you look at many seed packets they may well tell you to sow the seed after this date, but some of my plants will have been growing for 12 weeks before this so I get a much longer growing season than many people do and I think this leads to a much healthier crop and a larger harvest.

Another trick you can use is to cover the ground where the plants are to go with a cloche or plastic. Black plastic is best as this will warm the soil quicker than clear plastic and your plant roots will benefit from being planted into a warmer soil.

A few final points. Always use new flats or plant cells or at least make sure they are clean if you reuse them. To clean mine I soak them in water, use a brush to clean them and finally soak them in a household medical disinfectant to kill off germs. You could use a weak bleach solution or a specialist garden disinfectant, but just be careful with the chemicals whatever you use and use you commonsense. I also do this with my plant pots except for small tomato seedlings where I always buy new but as I only use about 20 a year this is not expensive. The other tip is to use tap water to water your seeds and seedlings. Again this is to help prevent disease. In most countries tap water is chlorinated which basically is like bleach and helps kill off bugs. I use rainwater on my established plants as they can easily cope with it but tap water is best for seedlings.

Once you new plants are in the ground you could use cloches to cover the plants until they are well established. By starting off my seeds inside my house I get at least 4 weeks extra time added to the growing season and this can be much longer. As I have already mentioned, my chilli seed packet talks about sowing the seed outdoors in April but I started mine off in the house just before New Years Eve. This allows me to have a much longer growing season and leads to a heavier and more productive crop of vegetables.

You can learn more about High Density Gardening and growing tomatoes by checking out http://www.highdensitygardening.com/home.html which also has free downloadable worksheets on building hotbox compost bins.

Ric Wiley is an internet writer and gardener. His website about High Density Gardening can be found at http://www.highdensitygardening.com/home.html and his latest ebook is High Density Gardening

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Orchid Propagation - An Easy Introduction

Some methods of propagating orchids are fairly easily accomplished in your own home with due care and attention. However other methods are really only suitable for the commercial laboratory growers such as propagation from seed and tissue culture as both of these require extremely sterile environments to germinate and grow successfully. The methods more easily employed in the home are outlined here.

Division

This is probably the easiest of the propagation methods and involves dividing your orchid plant into 2 or more sections depending on size. Cymbidium orchids respond well to this method.

• Remove your orchid plant from its pot with a sharp blade that has been sterilized and cut through the rhizome and root ball. Each section should have at least 3 pseudo bulbs.Use sulphur powder to dust each cut to prevent infection.
• Place each division in a separate pot. You might initially need to provide some initial support by loosely tying your plant section to a stake.

Back Bulbs

Back bulbs are small leafless bulbs which are often found behind the pseudo bulbs. So long as these look healthy and are not shrivelled, with patience these can often be encourage to grow roots. Choose back bulbs that have a small bud formed near the base.

• Fill a pot with a sphagnum moss and course sand mix into which you can grow several back bulbs ( a community pot)
• Place each bulb into the sphagnum mix up to the bud.
• Put your pot into a clear plastic bag or propagator.
• Place in a spot that is out of sunlight and warm

Keiki

Keiki are small plantlets that are produced on the stems of older orchids, typically of the Dendrobrium, Oncidium and Phalaenopsis species. These plantlets can be safely removed from the parent once the roots have developed and are at least 1" (2.5cm) long.

• Plant the keiki into a pot that has been filled with a fine bark mix. spreading the roots out. Though don't plant too deep.
• Water the plantlets and place the pot into a propagator or plastic bag until established.
• Come next season re-pot the plant into your usual orchid mix.

Stem Cuttings

Some orchids such as the Dendrobrium can be propagated from stem cuttings.

• Take a leafless stem and cutting it just above a node. Each stem if long enough can be used to take several cuttings, but each cut section should contain a minimum of 2 nodes.
• Dust the end of each cut with sulphur powder.
• Fill a plant/seed tray with a sphagnum moss.sand mix and gently push the cut sections into it.
• Moisten the surface of the moss sand mix
• Put the tray into a propagator or plastic bag and keep in a warm position in light shade.

Shoots and roots should begin to form in a couple of months at which stage they can be potted on into individual pots in fine bark compost.

Different methods of propagation will suit different species of orchid of which an indication is given above however you should investigate further which method is appropriate for your orchid plant.

Jonathan Lawes is an orchid expert. For more great tips on orchid propagation [http://www.orchidgardenanswers.com/orchid-propagation], visit [http://www.orchidgardenanswers.com].

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How to Grow Chilli Peppers

Growing chillis at home - chilli growing guide

When growing chilli plants from seed you do not need to spend lots of money on expensive gear such as hydroponic systems, all you need is good old compost, pots, and of course chilli seeds. You don't even need to be in a hot climate because as long as you can provide warmth and light your good to go, growing chillis in the UK is a big YES.

Ok, first of all it is always a good idea to plan ahead, by this I mean looking at what type of space you have to grow. If you have a flat or a house with a small garden you might want to stick to the smaller type of chilli peppers such as Apache, Cayenne, Bulgarian Carrot, etc. However if you choose a bigger chilli plant you can grow it in a smaller pot which will give you a slightly smaller version of the plant.

Sourcing chilli Pepper Seeds

You can buy chilli seeds from pretty much anywhere such as DIY stores like Homebase or B&Q, even the Co-Op sell them! I find buying my chilli seeds online is much more convenient and you can buy them on eBay, however you might want to stick to more reliable sources such as Nicky's Nursery, Chile Seeds .co.uk, Simpsons Seeds, Mr.Fothergills, etc. However I can recommend an eBay shop named Premier Seeds Direct, I have brought many seeds through these and have never had any problems and my germination rate has been excellent, not only that but they are quite cheap and the company is DEFRA registered.

Growing Medium

Once you have your chilli seeds you are going to need to plant them. A high quality compost is ideal, I have never had problems with own brand multi-purpose compost from places like B&Q, Asda, Aldi, Wilkinsons and Homebase. Compost is pretty cheap and you can get 100L bags of multi-purpose compost for a few pounds, usually you will find deals on where you can buy three bags for £10.

Next you need something to put the compost in, you can use pretty much anything such as old ice cream tubs, yoghurt pots, loo roll holders etc. If you want to buy a propagator you can do so from places like eBay, B&Q, Wilkinsons etc. These propagators are plastic trays where you are able to either fill with compost or place small pots inside, they are also idea for seed cells.

What I find much more convenient than placing pots or seed cells inside the propagator is using Jiffy Pellets (peat pellets) which look like large brown tablets but when you add warm water to them they expand in to small peat filled sacks where you can pop your chilli seed(s) in to then place them in your propagator, they aren't messy and you don't waste any time filling pots up with compost.

How to germinate chilli seeds

Instead of waiting until May/June you can get a head start with your chilli plants by starting to germinate your chilli seeds around March, it will take roughly 60-120 days before you see fruit, this depends on the type of chilli pepper you are growing. A Jalapeno would take around 60 days whereas a Habanero would take longer, around 100+ days.

When germinating chilli seeds you need the right temperature, somewhere between 20c - 28c is good, although I have germinated around 18c before now. Your chilli seeds should start to pop their heads above the compost around 10-14 days, sometimes it can take up to a month so it's always good to get a head start when germinating your seeds.

As soon as your chillis have poked their heads up it's time to get them some light. If you don't get your chilli seedlings light you will get "leggy" chilli peppers, in other words they grow long and thin and become a little weak. Remember they still need a stable temperature of about 20c.

When your chilli peppers have their first set of 4 leaves you can transfer them to bigger pots (I put them in 1ltr pots), if you are growing in Jiffy pellets you might want to transfer to 9cm pots soon after you see the first pair of seed leaves, then on to 1lts pots when you have 4 leaves.

As your chilli pepper plants get bigger you will have to transplant again to bigger pots, I tend to transfer to 2-3ltr pots if I am growing a small chilli plant such as an Apache, or if it's a taller plant then a pot size of 5ltr is a good size, flower buckets are great for chilli peppers, you can get them from supermarkets for about £1 if they are willing to sell you some. If your unsure when to transplant your chilli take a look at it, if it looks like it's getting too big for it's current pot repot to a bigger one, if it looks OK then just leave it until it needs transferring.
When it comes to watering at the seedling age just spray the surface compost so it's moist, you can add a liquid nitrogen feed after about a month with the water once a week to help promote growth but using just water on it's own is fine. Going by my own watering methods I tend to always keep the chilli moist and never wet, even when it's full size I pour on the water but stop before the surface compost is swimming.

Before putting your chilli plants outside you should wait until the last frost in your area, just keep watching the news or check Garden Action for their frost dates in your area. Once you are sure that you will not get any more frosts you can start to harden off your chilli peppers. Hardening off chilli peppers is done by gradually getting your chilli plants used to the outside weather, I make the process 2 weeks long and start by putting the chilli plants outside for a couple of hours a day in a sheltered but sunny position for the first week then the second week I may taken them out late morning and bring them in late afternoon (4-5pm). After that I will leave the plants out over night just as long as the temperature doesn't drop more than 10c, chilli peppers don't like the cold so if it's going to be a little chilli (excuse the pun!) that night then bring the chilli peppers inside.

When to pick chilli peppers

Depending on the type of chilli you have you might want to wait until your chilli peppers have changed colour, most of the time your chilli peppers will change from green to red or orange, of course you can pick green chillis as long as they taste good and have the right heat level there is no reason to wait until they turn another colour. Another tip is to inspect the chilli, if it looks glossy and firm you should be good to go, also the earlier you pick your chilli peppers the more chillis your plant will produce! If you have to many chillis to pick you can store them in a cool try place or even or even place them in your freeze.

If you want to dry your chillis you might want to leave them out in a cool dry place until the pepper shrivles up and is dry to touch. You can then grind them down in to a chilli powder or even break them off (you might need to cut them) and use them as chilli flakes.

Storing Chilli Seeds

If you want to use the chillis seeds from peppers you have chopped up all you need to do is pick out all the the seeds and put them in a kitchen towel and leave to dry for a couple of days or so, once you are sure the chilli seeds are dry you can bag them up in to those little resealable bags but don't forget to label the bags!

Overwintering Chilli Plants

When you overwinter chilli plants it is best to select the chilli plants that have given you the most tastey/hot fruit as you will know roughly how many chilli pods you will get next season. Also remember that you will need to keep your chilli plant in a warm sunny place and don't forget to cut back your chilli plant, you should take the whole plant back to it's main stem leaving about 2" on the sideshoots. Don't forget to water leaving it moist and not wet, do remember in the winter months it probably won't need watering every week so just put your hand on the compost to see if it feels dry.

My name is Jay also known as FireGardenUK from [http://www.firegardenuk.com] and I grow chilli peppers at home in the UK.

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