Tropical Style

Darwin Hybrid Tulip Varieties

Darwin hybrid tulips (Tulipa spp.) Are long-blooming tulips valued for their large, glowing, cup-shaped flowers atop sturdy stems. At maturity, Darwin hybrid tulips reach heights up to 28 inches. The tulips, which come in an assortment of solid and and multicolors, grow in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 4 through 7. It is possible to plant Darwin tulips in warmer climates if you give the bulbs a chilling time before planting.

Red Darwin Tulips

Darwin hybrid tulip cultivars incorporate a variety of reds, from glowing cherry red to vibrant red. “Apeldoorn” is a cherry red variety with bright red inner petals. The black bases display contrasting yellow bands. “Gordon Cooper” is a bright red tulip that fades to pink inside the blooms. The bases of this cup-shaped flowers are yellow and black. “Parade” has bright red blooms with a dark base and the edges of the blossoms are a vibrant shade of yellowish. “Bienvenue” is a bright red tulip with distinctive pink, flame-shaped variegation and also a greenish-yellow base. All four achieve mature heights of approximately 18 inches.

Yellow Darwin Tulips

Yellow Darwin hybrid tulips are bright, cheery blossoms that light up the garden in spring. For example, “Apeldoorn’s Elite,” which reaches heights of approximately 18 inches in maturity, is a bright yellow tulip with feathery red variegation and dark markings at the base. “Jewel of Spring” is a slightly shorter tulip at about 15 inches. The flowers are yellowish and the bases of the flowers are black and green. “Hans Mayer” is a vibrant yellow tulip with contrasting red flames and a green tinted base.

Gold Darwin Tulips

Some Darwin hybrid tulip varieties have rich, warm hues of stone, like “Golden Parade” a golden tulip using golden-yellow hues inside the dark bases. “Golden Apeldoorn” includes lemony-gold blooms with dark, star-shaped patterns on the foundation. “Gudoshnik” is differentiated by gold petals with reddish-orange, feathery splotches and dark markings at the bottom of their blooms. All grow about 18 inches tall.

Pink Darwin Tulips

You can select from a huge array of Darwin hybrid tulips in a variety of hues of pink. A tall variety measuring about 24 inches, “Big Chief” is a dark pink tulip with a light green tint. “Dawnglow,” which reaches heights of 18 inches, is a rosy-peach tulip using a green base and orange-yellow internal leaves. “Elizabeth Arden,” a smaller, 12-inch selection, displays deep peach-pink, violet-tinted blooms with yellow and white bases. “Pink Impression,” another 2-foot selection, creates pink blooms marked with rosy red and veins edges. The bases are black and greenish-yellow.

White Darwin Tulips

Although white Darwin hybrid tulips are fewer in number, they’re no less striking in appearance. “Ivory Floradale” is a creamy white variety using green-tinted base. It is mature height is approximately 2 feet. “Ollioules” also reaching heights of almost two feet, is a white tulip with eye-catching magenta flames. “Ollioules” is a great choice for warmer climates.

Chilling Darwin Tulips

Tulips, such as many other spring-blooming bulbs, need a period of cold to store energy for the coming blooming season. To replicate this natural chilling period, store the bulbs in the refrigerator for at least four to six weeks prior to planting time. Don’t store the tulip bulbs near apples or other fruit, as fruits emit emit ethylene gas that will damage the bulbs. Planting time starts in October. You may safely plant Darwin hybrid tulips as late as early December in climates where the ground does not freeze.

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Tropical Style

Types of Yellow Daisies With Black Centers

Gloriosa daisies (Rudbeckia hirta), also referred to as black-eyed Susan or even brown-eyed Susan, have yellow petals with a dark or dark brown facility. They create an impressive addition to any flower bed and also attract butterflies. These cheerful flowers are 5 to 9 inches wide and perfect for container gardening and planting en masse or as a border. Gloriosa daisies tolerate drought, look great in cut flower arrangements and develop in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 5 through 9.

Under 2 Feet Tall with Big Flowers

Several Gloriosa daisies have dark centres, develop about 2 feet tall and have big flowers. “Goldilocks” includes semi-double and double blooms and grows 20 to 23 inches tall by 12 to 18 inches wide. “Becky” produces a variety of petal colors, such as, gold, yellow, orange and bronze-red and its seed heads offer winter interest, also. It blossoms for many months and rises 10 to 16 inches tall by 12 to 16 inches wide.

Up to 3 Feet Tall with Double Blossoms

If you’re searching for tall plants with double blooms, plant “Double Gold .” This variety of Gloriosa daisy has big blooms with bright yellow petals and rises 29 to 35 inches tall by 12 to 18 inches wide.

Black Cones

A Gloriosa daisy with a black cone indicates the inner half of the petals has a dark colour that forms a dramatic ring round the eye. “Sonora” has very big flowers featuring gold yellow petals with dark cones and chocolate brown eyes. This bushy plant grows 12 to 16 inches tall by 12 to 18 inches wide. “Denver Daisy” has big golden yellow petals with mahogany-red eyes. It’s a bushy plant which produces blossoms for many months and rises 18 to 20 inches tall by 12 to 18 inches wide.

Under 2 Feet Tall with Dark Brown Eyes

Some small assortments of Gloriosa daisies grow less than 2 feet tall and have appealing, medium-sized blooms with brown eyes. “Toto Lemon” has lemon yellow blooms and “Toto Gold” has gold yellow blooms. Both varieties grow 12 to 16 inches tall by 10 to 12 inches wide.

Easy-to-Grow

Gloriosa daisies are easy-to-grow. These appearing flowers thrive in clay, loamy or sandy dirt with any pH and do not care if the soil moisture is dry, moist or just average. They thrive in full sun to partial shade and bloom from mid-summer to mid-fall, based on the variety. To stretch flowering time, clip off blossoms as their color starts to fade.

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Tropical Style

What Type of Algae Can Grow on Trees?

Although algae is usually an aquatic plant, some species can receive free of the water and develop terrestrially on the bark, stems and leaves of trees. Algae most commonly develop trees in moist tropical climates, but many species can develop trees also in temperate subtropical climates.

Trentepohlia

Trentepohlia is a genus of algae that includes about 40 species that frequently grow on trees in tropical and humid subtropical climates. This algae is free-living and terrestrial, and in temperate climates it is most frequently found growing on the bark of trees ; in wetter tropical climates, it may also develop on leaf surfaces. Most species contain an orange pigment that conceals the green colour of their chlorophyll; the algae grows in long filaments, and colonies of the algae seem as brightly coloured orange mounds on the tree bark.

Cephaleuros

Algae of the Cephaleuros genus, together with Trentepohlia, are part of the order Trentepohliales. Like Trentepohlia, Cephaleuros are terrestrial species; they only require water to germinate, therefore they are well-adapted to living on trees instead of in an aquatic environment. Cephaleuros species, like Trentepohlia, contain a orange pigment, and they vary in color from yellow-green to orange. Some species of Cephaleuros may cause blurred red spots on tree leaves, and the infection may be known as “red rust”

Stomatochroon

Stomatochroon is just another part of Trentepohliales, but it differs from Trentepohlia and Cephaleuros in that it grows not to the surface of bark or leaves, but inside the leaf itself in the chambers beneath the pores, or stomata, on the leaf surface. The algae is visible only as it sends up an enlarged “central mobile” that endeavors through the stoma.

Phycopeltis and Physolinum

These two genera are also part of Trentepohliales. The species within these genera typically develop on the surface of leaves, but in humid areas where moist surfaces are common, they can develop everywhere, even on tree permeable and bark objects.

Lichen

Lichen is a structure that commonly grows on trees; it’s due to a symbiotic relationship between fungi and algae. The fungus provides a construction that collects water and nutrients that the algae takes advantage of ; the algae in turn uses its chlorophyll to produce food for both the fungus. Species of the Trentepohlia genus are commonly found in lichens.

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Tropical Style

How Much Sun Does Yellow Barberry Need?

Barberry shrubs (Berberis thunbergii), also known as Japanese barberries, are exceptionally difficult, easy-to-grow, versatile plants which have many different uses in a house landscape. A high number of barberry cultivars can be found, several notable because of their brightly colored, golden-yellow foliage. These attractive shrubs have few requirements, but require a lot of sunlight the keep their bright colours.

Barberry Characteristics

The barberry bush gets its name from the ample thorns that cover its branches, making it a particularly good choice as part of a hurdle planting. Barberries are deciduous and generally have dense foliage. They’re usually one of the first shrubs to demonstrate new leaves in the spring. All barberries have inconspicuous flowers, followed by red berries in the autumn. Standard types of barberry trees have green leaves which change to red or orange in autumn. Yellow varieties have vibrant leaves which do particularly well in summer heat, which can scorch leaves on standard cultivars, and usually retain their yellow colour into autumn.

Sun

Foliage on yellowish barberry bushes keeps its bright shade best when the plant is grown at a place that receives sunlight for most of the day. Some light colour during the day will not interfere with the plant’s growth or health, but its bright and vibrant foliage is likely to turn into a greenish shade when sunlight is not constant. For compact cultivars, a website in the front of a sunlit tree boundary is best. Taller varieties can do well as specimens in full sun or at the back of a sunny bed, providing other plants nearer the front are spaced well apart and never likely to colour the barberry bushes.

Other Conditions

Yellow barberry shrubs grow well in any kind of soil, provided it is well-drained. They require only moderate levels of moisture and can tolerate dry spells quite well. Barberry bushes should be fertilized with a balanced, overall purpose formula early in spring, before new growth appears. They’re also quite tolerant of allergens, making them excellent choices in urban areas, and have no serious insect or disease issues. Pruning is best done in late spring or early summer, after the plant’s tiny flowers have disappeared.

Varieties

A number of barberry varieties with yellow foliage are sold in garden centers or through gardening catalogs. They comprise “Sunjoy Gold Pillar” and “Aurea,” both achieving a height of 3 to 4 feet with vertical growth habits; “Bonanza Gold,” also known as “Bogozam,” a compact plant only 1 1/2 feet tall; and “Golden Nugget,” a dwarf plant which reaches a height of only 12 inches and is approximately 18 inches wide. All varieties do best in U.S. Department of Agriculture hardiness zones 4 through 8.

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Tropical Style

The Rock Salt Concentration required to Kill Plants

Rock salt and table salt are basically the same thing: sodium chloride. But rock salt is unrefined and also in bigger chunks, while table salt is ground smaller. Rock salt is frequently less expensive and may be employed to cover a bigger area if you need it to destroy plants. It can change the salinity of the soil for years, so use it on your yard with care.

Concentration in Water

It doesn’t require much rock salt to effectively kill plants in your yard. Mix 1 cup of rock salt with 2 cups of water. Add it to spray bottle or pour it straight above the plants that you want to kill. Using boiling water helps dissolve the rock salt and destroy the plants boiling water hurts their leaves like it will your skin.

Dry Concentration

Just a few grains of rock salt are sufficient to kill plants. Sprinkle the salt across the base of the plant and allow it to naturally break down at the soil’s moisture. For small weeds, like dandelions, you might only need four or three chunks. For larger plants, try out a few of this salt. It works relatively fast, so if you don’t observe the plants wilting in around 2 days, add a little more rock salt about the plants’ bases. Watering the plants shortly after adding the rock salt will allow it to dissolve into the dirt.

Soil Changes

A major problem with using rock salt even in small concentrations is that is tends to remain in the dirt for years until water leaches it outside. The salt increases soil salinity, which dehydrates the roots of plants and keeps them in absorbing nutrients that are necessary. If you include too much rock salt and it starts to change plants that you want to remain, in addition to ones that you wish to kill, start watering the plants deeply every day to try to flush the salt out of the dirt. You may not have the ability to conserve those plants, because it could take weeks of daily watering to return the ground into a feasible salinity, but it is possible to restore the dirt so that new plants may grow.

Where to Use It

Salt doesn’t always stay where it’s set — it may be washed off into your flower bed or lawn, killing large swaths of plants that you want to keep. Some salt-tolerant plants like the bigleaf hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla) can endure a bit of runoff, but not a complete concentration of rock salt applied nearby. Apply the salt on a day with no chance of rain to allow it to soak in where you want it without the prospect of runoff. The best places to use rock salt are those in which you don’t ever need plants to grow, like cracks in your driveway or along fence lines.

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Gardening and Landscaping

The way to Sod a Yard With St. Augustine Palmetto Grass

There are two methods to establish new grass in your lawn: by seed or using sod. Sod refers to mature grass exploded over surface soil and held together by its origins. Installing sod is merely a matter of transplanting, similar to moving an established plant from indoors to outside. Even though a more expensive process than seeding, sodding has several advantages, such as flexibility when planting, since you can lay it at any moment during the season. The “Palmetto” varietal of St. Augustine grass is a fast grower that thrives in Mediterranean climates and carries root fast, which makes it an ideal choice when sodding a lawn in U.S. Department of Agriculture Plant Hardiness Zones 8 through 10.

Preparation

Search your lawn for rubbish, stones, large limbs and debris left from building function and discard. Remove weeds by hand as required. Turn the soil having a mechanized tiller until loosened and aerated.

Apply a starter fertilizer high in nitrogen and phosphorous, such as 10-20-10, at a rate of 10 lbs per 1,000 square foot. Add 1 inch of compost over the top layer of the soil. Till the starter fertilizer and compost to a depth of 4 inches to incorporate.

Rank the tines of a garden rake against a stationary surface of the lawn, such as the edge of the pavement, porch or driveway. Rake the lawn at a straight row until you reach the end of the yard. Increase the pressure on the rake that the closer you get to the end of the lawn to make a downward 1- to 2-percent slope away from the fixed surface. Continue raking the entire yard.

Return to the start of the row and then row again. The soil must be 1 inch below the amount of the fixed surface when completed to allow the sod to fit against it properly. Continue grading the soil, sloping it from all fixed surfaces. Also fill in any holes in the ground, as they gather water and inhibit runoff.

Turn the rake over and place the bottom of the tines from the borders of their fixed surfaces and then press firmly to tamp it down. Fill the lawn roller’s drum with water and then roll above the ground the exact same manner you graded it — row in one direction.

Irrigate the ground with 1/2 inch of water, which works out to approximately 2-1/2 gallons of water per square foot . Permit the planting site to settle for a single week.

Sodding

Moisten the topsoil gently with a hose if not moist from the previous irrigation.

Rank the loose end of this roll St. Augustine sod in the left end of their lawn and unroll it over the ground. If you need to lay the other roll of sod at the exact same row following the very first to make it into the end of the lawn, unroll a new roll where you left off and cut to fit using the utility knife. Fill at the seam where the two pieces of sod join soil or compost, and tamp down lightly with a garden spade.

Rank the loose end of another roll of sod on the right end of the lawn as you did with the left hand. Unroll the sod and cut to fit using the utility knife, then filling the flux using soil as required and tamping it into position.

Alternate between the left and right sides of the lawn placing sod, unrolling and cutting to fit as required. However, stagger the ends of adjacent rows and create a brick-wall pattern to avoid one seam running across the width of the lawn. As you reach the end of the roll after laying an adjacent strip, then stop a few yards short of the end and cut it using the utility knife. When you roll up the strip beside it, then don’t cut it short, and so on for the remainder of the lawn. After the sod strips match in the middle of the lawn, you most likely have to cut the previous roll lengthwise to allow it to fit between the 2 strips on either side of it.

Survey the lawn for uniformity in height. If you see a few layers of sod sitting a little lower than others, add enough soil underneath them to raise them until level with the remainder of the lawn.

Drain 2/3 of this water from the lawn roller and go over the lawn again to release any air trapped underneath the sod. Water the sod daily to keep it moist until it takes root.

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Eclectic Homes

The way to put in a Spin-In Duct Fitting

Spin-in collars reduce the installation time of a duct division line by eliminating the need for screws to hold it in place. Rather, the collars sandwich the duct wall between an internal collar and an outer tapered bead. The correct hole size is required to be sure the spin collar sits securely in the wall of the duct. Once correctly installed, the spin-in collar will provide a fail-safe connection involving a duct back line and the atmosphere register distributing air through your house.

Determine Spin-in Diameter

Measuring the width of the spin-in is the very first step in ensuring it fits correctly from the duct. Taking the dimension from the wrong end of this fitting will permit you to receive a fictitious dimension which will cause an incorrectly hole. Always measure the fitting from the conclusion of the fitting with the taper and subsequently add 1/8 inch to the diameter, allowing room for the fitting to spin at the duct.

Cut and Prepare the Hole

After quantifying the hole, a hole cutter is required to ensure you cut a circular hole at the face of the duct. The hole cutter consists of a pulley that is simulated, a three-sided drill bit and a pivot point. After transferring the pivot point, the smooth finish of the drill bit fits into a drill engine. Rotating the cutter gradually will cut a perfectly round hole in the sheet metal. A 1/2-inch slit is required after cutting, to permit the internal collar to slip through the duct wall.

Safe the Spin-in Collar

Replacing the spin-in collar from the duct demands sliding the border of the internal collar into the cut slit and spinning the fitting clockwise. After one full revolution, the internal collar will pop through the duct and the spin-in collar will sit loosely in the duct. After installation, you put the handle in an accessible location, then pull the internal flange to the bottom of the tapered bead by squeezing them together — in several places — with a pair of self-locking pliers to lock it in place.

Seal the Collar Edges

Even a tight spin-in collar will flow air around its linking point to the ductwork. Apply a water-based sealant to the base of the collar with a paintbrush to prevent air leaks. The sealant requires 24 hours to harden; during this time, you cannot run the air conditioning system.

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Eclectic Homes

A Smoking Washing Machine

However you look at this, a smoking washing machine spells trouble in all capital letters. This is a job for the intermediate or advanced do-it-yourself individual to undertake. If you’re a first timer or beginner, then it is time to call the pros as a smoking washing machine typically signals serious motor or clutch problems.

Machine Hums Loudly, Smokes But Does Not Start

When an electric engine starts up, it is going to draw five to six times its normal operating current for a brief time period, until the engine reaches two-thirds of its working speed. A defective start switch, or bad start or run winding in the motor is going to keep the motor from starting correctly, along with also the high in-rush present will keep on causing the motor’s windings to overheat and burn. The burning motor winding is actually the cause of the smoke. Regardless of what the initial cause of the issue, when it calms to this point, you need to replace the engine.

Machine Squeals and Smokes

A slipping drive belt will lead to a loud squealing noise. Together with the smoke coming from the overheated drive belt is going to be the distinct smell of burning rubber. A slipping drive belt may be caused by an improperly adjusted idler pulley or a mechanical jam somewhere in the drive train. It could also be brought on by a drive belt so badly worn that the automatic tensioner can no longer compensate for the wear. In the case of a mechanical jam, it could be a issue with the clutch, the transmission or even bad tub bearings. Those are all hard repairs that you won’t have the resources for and you need to call a professional. However, replacing a worn belt or even correcting the tensioner pulley are simple tasks requiring nothing more than a large screwdriver and an adjustable wrench.

Light Smoke With Burning Smell

Light, wispy smoke coming from the base of the washing machine signals a problem with the transmission shifting solenoid. Smoke coming from the upper back of the machine signals a bad fill valve solenoid. And smoke coming from the control panel signals a terrible timer motor. Replace the faulty parts as needed.

Other Potential Causes

Smoke coming from a washing machine could also be the result of a flaw in the electric wiring, but this is actually the probable cause. A partially broken wire will arc above, causing the cable’s insulation to overheat and burn. A hot wire may also arc over to the machine, again causing the insulation to smoke and burn. Usually when this kind of problem exists, there will be, aside from the smoke and the smell of burning plastic, the distinct smell of ozone created by the arcing. In cases such as this, simply search for signs of burned insulation on the wiring.

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Gardening and Landscaping

Types of Fountains for Ponds

Ponds need oxygen to keep plants and fish healthy. Adding a fountain to your landscape pond not just creates aeration for the water, but in addition, it creates a focal point for your landscape. You may opt to work heaters during particular hours of the evening, or you can select lighted models to give visual interest to your property at night.

Pumps

Before you select any type of fountain, then you should start looking for a pump that is acceptable for the pond. Clean water or lined ponds don’t have a lot of debris that flows to them from runoff. These ponds are typically clear all the time. A pump having a lip seal typically works nicely. Ponds that have a sand or soil bottom have dirty water after a rain. Particulates from the water can clog a lightweight pump and quickly ruin it. Opt for a industrial grade trash pump to the fountain in this type pond.

Waterfalls

A waterfall along the side of the backyard pond not only supplies the tinkling sound of music falling through space, but it blends in with its natural surroundings. If possible, plan the installation of the waterfall at precisely the exact same time you construct the pond. Adding the nest from the pond’s design enhances the general all-natural look of this water feature. As you make this type of pond fountain, then remember that the greater the waterfall, the more pumping power you will need. The pond also needs a deeper place below the waterfall to work as a catch basin to amplify the sound of the water.

Rocking Bamboo Fountains

Another fountain that you place along the edge of a pond is a rocking bamboo fountain. Occasionally called “shishi odoshi” or deer scarers, these fountains have moving parts that fill with water and empty on the rocks. When the container is empty, it pops up a flow of water refills it. The fountain frequently makes a clacking noise as it fills. This sound often startles wildlife and also keeps them away from the pond.

Floating Fountains

Unlike slopes and shishi odoshi fountains, floating fountains rest in the center of the pond. A wide variety of nozzles are available that let you spray the water in an assortment of shapes and heights. Generally speaking, the water should spray no greater than half of the width of the pond. You may add multiple floating fountains to larger ponds to make a diverse water display. Some models of floating fountains include lights so you can enhance your property during the nighttime hours as well as during the day. As you choose a floating fountain, then pick one that has a pump that offers enough horsepower to produce the spray you desire.

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Fireplaces

Bloodworm Larvae in Koi Ponds

As their name says, bloodworms are a blood-colored wormlike creature measuring about 1 millimeter long. These wiggly aquatic worms are a common sight in standing bodies of water, and though they might seem intimidating, they are usually not a cause of alarm. Actually, bloodworm larvae can be helpful to your koi pond.

Kinds of Bloodworms

“Bloodworms” can refer to the seams of a nonbiting midge (Chironomidae) along with the parasite also called blood flukes (Schistosoma). Even though chironomidae aren’t harmful to individuals, unless the man or woman is allergic to these, schistosoma — which is not found in the United States — has infected over 200 million individuals worldwide. Schistosoma, detectable only under a microscope, which is usually located throughout Africa, South America and Asia. This parasite lives in certain species of freshwater snails and contaminates the water.

Nonbiting Midges

The bloodworms in your koi pond are the pillars of nonbiting midges known as chironomids. These insects resemble tiny mosquitoes but don’t bite people or feed on blood. Nonbiting midges lay their eggs on the surface of ditches, streams and ponds. These eggs sink to the bottom of the pond and hatch a couple of days later. The larvae, known as bloodworms, consume organic matter in the pond, which helps maintain the water clean and clear. Bloodworms generally transform in the pupa stage about two to seven weeks following hatching. They remain in this stage for about three days before swimming to the water surface and also appearing as an adult chironomid.

Bloodworm Larvae and Koi

Bloodworms in your koi pond aren’t something that needs concern. The larvae don’t harm any plants growing in the pond and also are beneficial in many ways. As well as helping to keep the water clean, bloodworm larvae are a food source of fish like koi. Bloodworm larvae are high in proteinthat is essential for healthy koi. Frozen bloodworms are offered for purchase at pet stores, and also some pond owners increase bloodworm larvae for use as food for their fish.

Factors

If bloodworms aren’t welcomed guests, several control options are available that won’t hurt the koi. The bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis var. Israelensis targets only the pillars of specific pests, like nonbiting midges, and will not hurt the koi fish in the pond. Another option is to attract predatory insects to feed the nonbiting midges. Dragonflies and damselflies prey on the adult midges while their larvae feed on the bloodworm larvae. Submerged, marginal and floating aquatic plants added in and about the koi pond lure dragonflies and damselflies into the area.

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