Boardash: ArcaMax Gardening Daily Tips for Thursday October 8, 2009

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

ArcaMax Gardening Daily Tips for Thursday October 8, 2009

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Gardening Daily Tips
For You
Thursday October 8, 2009

Lily of the Valley (Convallaria majalis)
Q&A: Harvesting Onions
Q&A: Croton Leaves Turn Brown
Tip: Harvest Brussels Sprouts
Spooky Books for Halloween
Reader Photos

Lily of the Valley (Convallaria majalis)

Today's Featured Plant
Lily of the Valley (Convallaria majalis)

Read the full profile of this plant at ArcaMax.com.

Interested in reading about other plants? Search through hundreds of plant profiles and helpful articles by keyword.

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Q&A: Harvesting Onions

Question: How do I know when to harvest my onions, and do I need to do anything special before storing them for later use?

Answer: To harvest onions for storage, watch for when the tops begin to turn yellow and fall over. The bulbs should be in the two- to four-inch range. At that point you may wish to bend the foliage flat to the ground to speed up the maturing process. After about three weeks, or when the tops are totally dried up, dig them up. (Do not harvest when the soil is very wet, and be sure to harvest before the first frost.) Harvest on a dry, sunny day and lay the onions out to dry for an hour or so in the sun. Brush off any excess soil, then cure them by placing them in a single layer in the shade for about ten days. If conditions are inappropriate for outdoor drying, you may have to spread them out on the floor indoors under a fan. Finally, clip off the tops about an inch from the bulb and store in a cool dry place. Storage onion varieties will keep from 4-12 months when properly dried and stored.

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Q&A: Croton Leaves Turn Brown

Question: I have a croton houseplant that is quickly losing its leaves. Can you advise me on the proper care for this plant, including fertilizers, light requirements, and potential reasons why the leaves are turning brown on the edges and then dropping?

Answer: Codiaeum, or croton, is a popular houseplant because of its vivid foliage and varied leaf shapes. Some of the hybrids are rather fussy, but here are some general guidelines:

Provide a fairly constant temperature (average household temperatures are fine from spring through autumn; keep the temperature above 60F in the winter), high air humidity, and moist soil. It's best to use tepid water when watering and water as often as necessary to keep the soil moist spring through autumn. Water sparingly in the winter when plant growth slows. Provide bright, indirect light (an east- or west-facing windowsill is ideal). Feed every month during the growing season with a diluted liquid fertilzer. Once you adjust the growing environment your croton should regain its health.

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Tip: Harvest Brussels Sprouts

As the weather cools, harvest Brussels sprouts when they form small, hard, cabbage-like balls along the stem. Harvest from the bottom of the stem and work your way up. To form larger sprouts, cut off the top 6 inches of the plant.

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Spooky Books for Halloween

Get yourself in the mood for the spookiest day of the year with free book samples from BookDaily!

Read the first chapter of books like Seeking Spirits: The Lost Cases of the Atlantic Paranormal Society and more by e-mail. If you like it, you can buy it right away -- or add more samples to your own virtual "bookshelf" and have a new one sent to you every day.

For more Halloween fun, party tips, games, and more, be sure to visit the new ArcaMax Halloween Guide.

Visit BookDaily.com to start reading free samples.

-- From the ArcaMax editors

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Sincerely,
ArcaMax Editors