The sunflower, known for its striking yellow bloom and impressive height, is a favourite plant in many gardens. Originally from North and South America, the sunflower has gained symbolic meaning over the years, often associated with sunshine, happiness, and loyalty. Caring for this beautiful plant is relatively straightforward, but there are a few key considerations to keep in mind to ensure your sunflower grows and blooms optimally.
As the name suggests, sunflowers love the sun. For healthy growth, they need at least six to eight hours of direct sunlight per day. Therefore, choose a spot in your garden that receives plenty of sun and is preferably somewhat sheltered from strong winds. Sunflowers can grow quite large, sometimes reaching three meters or more, so make sure they have enough space to grow without overshadowing other plants.
The best time to sow sunflowers is in late spring, once the risk of frost has passed and the ground has warmed sufficiently. Sunflowers can be sown directly into the ground, but they can also be started indoors and transplanted later. Sow the seeds at a depth of about two centimetres and maintain a spacing of at least thirty centimetres to prevent the plants from crowding each other. After sowing, it is important to keep the soil moist until the seedlings appear.
Although sunflowers are fairly resilient, they need regular watering, especially during dry periods. Water them deeply to encourage the roots to grow downwards, contributing to a strong and stable plant. However, make sure the soil is well-draining, as sunflowers do not like wet feet. Additionally, they can benefit from extra feeding. A balanced fertiliser with a higher phosphorus content can help develop strong flowers.
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Does location still matter most? Should you remodel your home to suit your tastes, or for resale value? Are starter homes still a thing? We all have plenty of questions about the ever-changing world of real estate. In our Ask an Agentseries, we’re partnering with experts at Better Homes & Gardens Real Estate to answer your biggest questions about finding, buying, and selling a home.
Ladybugs, or lady beetles, are insects in the beetle family. There are about 5,000 species of these tiny insects, and most of them are quite helpful. Although best known as a red insect with black spots, ladybugs come in a variety of colors, and some have stripes or no markings at all.
Cuttings are a popular and accessible way to propagate your plants. Whether you're an experienced gardener or just starting out, making your own cuttings can be highly satisfying. In this article, we'll explore the world of plant cuttings and provide practical tips on how to take cuttings from various plant species such as the pancake plant, hydrangea, monstera, and orchid. We'll answer frequently asked questions and share useful tools to make the process easier.
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Native plants, as the name indicates, grow naturally in an area or region. There is a growing shift among many people away from a manicured garden with non-local species in support of more natural areas, and especially, for embracing native plants.
Flanking our waterways in great mops of silver green, the willow is the most poetic and mysterious of trees. In many cultures – including ancient Egypt and ancient Greece – it was associated with immortality, death, and the underworld; old English folklore states that if you sit beside a willow and shed tears, the tree will cry with you. In China, where the weeping willow hails from, it represents strength and resilience, reflecting the instruction in the Tao Te Ching to have a flexible attitude: 'A tree that won't bend, breaks easily in storms.' Being pliant and strong, willow is used for weaving, and its light weight and hardness make it the best wood for cricket bats.
Heucheras are shade-loving plants, native to the woodlands of North America. Grown for their foliage, their leaves come in a huge range of colours from red, purple, vivid green and even silver, and they bear attractive flowers in summer, too. Heucheras make excellent ground cover plants, and work well in winter pot displays. Members of thesaxifrage family, heucheras are also known as coral bells and alumroot.
If you’re a fan of the quintessential indoor-outdoor Western lifestyle that comes along with expansive floor-to-ceiling glass, a warm wash of natural light, breezeways that maximize airflow, and surrounding serene landscape, you can thank famed architect Cliff May. Regarded as the founding father of the iconic California ranch house, May’s work has been repeatedly published in Sunset since the 1930s. What made his work stand out at the time was how he designed homes not so much based on architecture but on the way people wanted to live in them. Making the most of the Western climate, his goal was to provide a closer relationship with nature through garden courtyards and blur the line between how we use interior and exterior spaces. May in turn created private sanctuaries where families could relax and enjoy a lifestyle of informal outdoor living. He invented the way most people want to live in the West, and his influence is felt throughout the region some 90 years later.
Encountering a wasp nest on your property can be quite alarming. These nests, often built in hidden or hard-to-reach places, can pose a significant risk, especially if you or your family members have allergies to stings. A wasp nest is typically constructed from paper-like material that wasps create by chewing wood fibres mixed with their saliva. Knowing where these nests are most commonly found can help in planning an effective wasp nest removal strategy.