i Garden Digest, your Gardening Source for Garden Tips and Ideas

                                  e NEWS
                              MRI FOR TREES

MRI or CAT scan is being used not only for humans
and animals, but now this technology is adapted for use on trees.

This new method affords early decay detection within tree trunks for heritage or high value trees. It is based on the principle that sound waves pass more quickly through decayed wood than healthy wood.

Bruce Allison, UW forester is only one of two people using this new technology in the US....more

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                 AGRICULTURE PRACTICED BY LEAF-

                                    CUTTER ANTS

"The study of the leaf-cutter ant may one day influence everything from how we produce fuel, fight disease, and our thoughts about evolution."

New studies have uncovered a never- before
discovered nitrogen-fixing bacteria, an antibiotic
bacteria and a yeast all living in a balanced, complex relationship with their fungus garden that the ants conscientiously tend to for food....more

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A NEW IMPROVED SLOW-RELEASE
FERTILIZER

This new, slow-release fertilizer, which might reduce greenhouse gas emissions and fertilizer runoffs, is based on the mechanism of ion exchange. Unlike current types of fertilizers, the release of plant nutrients mimics soil and natural degradation processes...more

BIBLE PLANTS

The myrrh tree is one of the many plants mentioned in the Bible. It is a small tree, with an ash-colored central trunk, and scaly branches with spines. It is specially adapted for growth on arid, rocky, poor soils found under harsh, desert conditions in the Arabian peninsula countries of Oman, Yemen, Somalia and Eastern Ethiopia,.. more

GROWING AMARYLLIS

Amaryllis is a tender bulb that originates in the South American tropics. If given the right growth conditions,
it can flower year after year. They make excellent pot plants for the home because they are easy to grow and care for. The flowers are gorgeous, large, showy and lily-like, with 2-4 or more flowers at the end of a long stalk. Colors range from white to red, with several color variations in between depending on the hybrid.
... more

FLOWER SHOWS
Think Spring

A gardening extravaganza. Flower Shows are events to attend especially when you get weary of the cold and dreary days. It is the place to get inspiration and gather new ideas for your spring garden. Every year, the world's most talented gardeners, floral and landscape designers, and horticulturists come together in one place to strut their stuff. Here are the biggest and most famous flower shows in the world. Each one is distinctive and has its own special attraction and theme.... more

                        GARDENING TIPS HOW TO
                   GET YOUR CHRISTMAS PLANTS TO BLOOM AGAIN

■    POINSETTIA
needs short days ( or long nights ) to trigger flowering.
To trick the plant to flower, cover the whole plant with
a light-tight box or a dark plastic bag daily for at least
12-14 hrs till you see flower bud formation.

The plant needs bright light the rest of the day. It is crucial to put the plant in total darkness for that many hours. Any stray light, even from an outside street lamp will affect flowering.

Flower buds will form with color on the flowering bracts in about 6 to 8 weeks. You can then stop the dark treatment. Fertilize and water as usual. Do not over water.

■ AMARYLLIS

Withhold watering this month for 6-8 weeks. This forces the plant into a dormancy period.

Then place the plant in a cool (55º F) place and let it dry out till the leaves dry up and fall off. This is the rest period for the plant.

Repot with good potting soil with at least 1/3 of the neck above the soil. The bulb like to be pot bound, so plant the bulb in a pot slightly larger than the bulb diameter.

Keep the potted plant at a bright sunny window. Fertilize when it starts to grow. Blooming starts in 3-8 weeks.

■ CHRISTMAS CACTUS

This plant likes soil that is barely moist.

A good moisture indicator- poke a pencil inside the soil at the rim and feel the soil. If it is water-logged, soil will stick to it.

The plant also likes high humidity. So place the pot
on a pebbled tray with water.

About 6 weeks before Christmas, put the plant in a cool 60º-65º F and cover for 14 hours with a light-proof bag for 14 hours a day. For the rest of the 10 hours, it needs bright indirect light.

When flower buds form, stop the dark treatment and resume watering and feeding. The soil should not be water-logged or too dry. Flower buds will fall off if the
soil is too dry. The plant will develop root rot if it is too wet.