Here is a fun and easy way to add fresh color and a spring like feel to your indoor plants and gardening. Try coaxing or forcing spring flowering bulbs into blooming in the mid-winter months.

photo credit: robynejay

There are dozens of bulbs that will add beautiful spring color to your home in the winter. Some bulbs will require minimal effort, while others require planning. So when selecting your bulbs to force take effort and time into consideration.

Many bulbs require a cold period to stimulate growth and flower production. If you have such bulbs place them in the refrigerator for a few weeks.

Not all bulbs will require a cold period. Amaryllis, freesia, and tropical narcissus are a few that do fine without chilling the bulbs.

How to force spring bulbs into winter bloom without pre-chilling the bulbs.

• To force spring bulbs into winter bloom, pot the bulbs in either potting soil or water. Potting soil gives you the garden look and you can create more indoor decor with the selection of the container or garden pot.
• You will keep both growing styles indoors. The bulbs will not survive outdoors in cold weather.
• If you are potting in the bulbs in water, squeeze as many bulbs as you can fit into a shallow pot so they are secured. Pour enough water over the bulbs to cover the bottom half of the bulb. You can also anchor the bulbs with pebbles if you are unable to hold them down by squeezing them together in the pot.
• By planting bulbs in pots or vases you get a modern look that emphasizes the container, bulb and flower. I think planting done in this style have a delicate look.
• The spring bulbs should sprout within a week or two of potting them. This pertains to both growing methods.
• Once the plants have sprouted, keep them in indirect light and in a cool place where the temperature is about 50 degrees Fahrenheit.
• You will want to keep the sprouted plants in the cool room with indirect light for two weeks. This gives the bulbs a feel of cooler outdoor climates.
• After two weeks in the cool room with indirect light, move the pot into bright, direct light where there will be warmer temperatures.

photo credit: robynejay

The plants should flower within 4 weeks. Flowering bulbs in the winter add such color and life to indoor living. It seems to speed up the arrival of spring.

Technorati Tags: forcing bulbs, growing spring bulbs indoors, indoor plants, spring bulbs

When working with small spaces in your backyard, patio or balcony design every item counts and should serve two purposes. Another concern to keep in mind with garden design is time savers. After all, you have created an oasis to relax in, why add work?

photo credit: slideshow bob

Keep it simple.

Simple easy to work with designs and ideas will cut your time in half. You might want to mix artificial plants in the back and fresh live plants in front. Window boxes on a top window that is hard to water will do better with artificial plants, and no one will know the difference. I know I have been doing this for years.

Place any gardens near water or add a rain barrel. Lugging buckets of water or winding and unwinding water hoses takes time and energy.

Storage space

Having adequate storage space for tools, kitchen utensils and children’s toys will stop the running back and forth to get these items. A bench that serves as a storage space will add space and shelves on patio wall also add extra storage room. Pegs on the wall will get larger toys off the patio floor. If placed properly they can also decorate the wall space

Use all available space

When you space is limited it doesn’t take much to get a cluttered look that will make your space look smaller. Use trellises to give you extra space going up. Why place plants in containers on the floor when you can continue a lush green wall being the plants. And if these plants are vegetable you will have a mini garden within arms reach from the kitchen.

Hanging baskets will free up floor space and if you have an open rafter that can be used for storage.

Make you gardens work overtime.

• Combine vegetables with flowers. It’s a great look and will save space.
• Use more mulch in your gardens and backyard. You will save time mowing and watering the lawn.
• Drought resistant plants take less time and water. They also seem to have less insect problems.
• Consider using square foot gardening methods. You use less space and water. And with less space you will have less weeding.
• Hardscaping takes less time to maintain and will add interest to the backyard.

Each year I find I want more time to enjoy my backyard and take the time in the spring to look around a see how I can simplify my garden and backyard tasks.

Technorati Tags: backyard, backyard projects, Small Space Garden, small space garden design

Flowers and living flower arrangements add to any room or home. And if you have a spare plant on hand they make a great gift for company or a birthday.

photo credit: >>>WonderMike<<<

At this time of year any plant adds beauty to a room and flowering bulbs are a fun, exciting and easy plant to start. The bulbs are often on sale at this time of year too.

Or you can take a bulb such as a daffodil an use his method of forcing a bulb to have a wonderful accent.

This you tube shows how easy it is to start a bulb. I like the glass vase that was used for this bulb. It add an artistic look to the arrangement.

I also enjoy tropical plants but they are a challenge in my home. I really do not have a lot of light in most rooms. Or the rooms with great lighting have a chill in the room.

This you tube has tips for growing tropical plants and how to work with them if they seem to be dying.

As this you tube points out, some plants need a resting period.Check the plants growing tag or look online or at the local library for more information on your plant variety.

House plants will also add color and even the look of additional space to apartments, patios and balcony gardens. Place plants outdoors in warmer weather and bring them indoors for the colder seasons

House plants add to any home and with a little care and knowledge you can have a lush garden.

Technorati Tags: balcony gardening, indoor plants, indoor plants for small spaces, patio plants, Small Space Garden

At this time of year, many people that are doing indoor gardening are using windowsill gardening methods or container gardening.

photo credit: striatic

For successful container gardening these 7 steps should be considered. These steps will work both indoors and outdoors.

1. Light
2. soil
3. humidity
4. temperature
5. water
6. the right container
7. feeding the plant

The following you tube will expand on the seven steps for container gardening and provide you will very useful information.

I have found over the last few years that container gardening is quickly becoming my favorite style of gardening. Its easy, the gardens can be moved and they can be covered during severe weather. I also bring many of my mini gardens in during the winter months.

Container gardening is also perfect for small space garden needs.

Technorati Tags: container gardening, gardening, indoor gardening, Small Space Garden, successful container gardening

Houseplants add life and character to your home, patio and balcony. They will also improve air quality. However, they can also take up valuable space on your floors and table tops, which is an important factor if space is limited.

photo credit: lostash

The best solution when adding plants indoors or out is to look for space you might not be using or would normally overlook.

If you have a free corner in your space, you can add hanging plants and floor plants. Avoid plants that produce a lot of lateral growth. Palms and the corn plant (which is tolerant of low light) are great for small spaces because all their foliage is at the top. Consider trailing plants like the sweetheart vine for hanging planters.

By the bottom of the plant grouping you could add colorful plants or garden art.

You have just used a space that is often overlooked and you will find by softening the edges of a space you will create a larger feel.

Its easy and fast to adapt an existing floor screen or replace it out for one that can hold potted plants. Add a window box to a window or place glass shelves higher in the window to give a feeling of extended space.  You may want to replace the pillar candle in a candle sconce with a small potted plant.

Wall-pocket planters will add color in the tiniest of spaces. Hang them nice and high. I also place small mirrors near the plants to add more light and carry the color of the plants.

You’d be surprised by the impact of a single tendril of ivy running down the length of your wall. Baby tears and other creepers are another good choice.

photo credit: Avia Venefica

Wall pocket can often be picked up at garage sales or a thrift shop for pennies. And the vintage look will add character to you room, patio or balcony.

And my favorite addition to any room is a vertical garden, or “living wall”. Each garden wall has it own unique look.

If your plants are for patio and balcony areas you may wan to consider how hardy they are. Will they handle wind and cold? Should they be brought in during the winter or just protected from wind and the elements?

One final consideration in adding plants to a small area is to carefully select the plants. You will only have room for a few in a small space design so try and get a few plants with height, a few vines and plants with a little color. You may also have to consider plants for low light areas.

Tip: Remove plants from the wall for watering to avoid damage to floors, walls or rugs.

Technorati Tags: indoor plants, small balcony design, small patio design, small space design