Sprout Lemon Seeds in Less Than a Week!

You can sprout lemon seeds in less than 1 week! I was able to sprout a lemon seed from an organic lemon I had purchased from the store in just 5 days. This is the method I used:

Materials

• Paper towel
• Plastic ziploc sandwich bag
• Lemon seed (I used a lemon seed from an organic lemon seed from the supermarket)
• Water

Directions

1. Wash your lemon seed thoroughly. 
2. Take a paper towel and soak it in water. Then squeeze the excess water out. The papertowel should be moist but not soaking wet. 
3. Then place your seed(s) on one side of the paper towel. 
4. Then fold the paper towel in half so that the lemon seed is wrapped on both sides.
5. Place the paper towel inside the ziploc bag. 
6. Then place the ziploc bag in a sunny area. I place mine on a sunny window ledge. 
7. Now just wait! 
8. After your seed has sprouted, you can transplant it in soil.

Cockscomb Flowers

Cockscomb Flowers

The first time I saw these beautiful flowers was in Thailand. I had to touch it just to see if it was real and was pleasantly surprised that they were! Although I was initially attracted to its vibrant red coloring, I was mesmerized by the its unique flower shape and texture. The blooms were soft, but firm to the touch. These plants like warm climates so I am hoping that they will grow in my garden.   

How to Re-bloom Orchids

Re-Blooming Orchid

I love orchids, but avoided buying them in the past because I never had much luck with them. The beautiful flowers would last a few months but would never re-bloom again. I have finally figured out the trick to re-blooming my orchids, and I wanted to share these quick, 4 easy tips with you.

Growing Medium – The orchids I bought were already in the right type of growing medium (e.g., fir bark and sphagnum moss). Unlike ordinary garden soil, this type of growing medium allows for good, quick drainage which is important for orchids. 

Watering – Don't over water your orchids. I was guilty of this. Now I just water the orchids once a week, but I make sure that the roots are never sitting in water. If the roots sit in the water for a long time, the orchid plant will die. I use ordinary tap water that has sat overnight in an open container to allow some of the chlorine to dissipate.

Feeding – I feed my orchids every other week with orchid fertilizer. I use Miracle-Gro Orchid Food, 8-Ounce (Orchid Fertilizer). This box will last a long time. I just dilute a 1/4 tsp of the fertilizer into 1 gallon of water.  

Lighting – I keep my orchids out of direct sunlight but I provide plenty of indirect sunlight. Our master bathroom happens to be the best spot for our orchids. The bathroom provides humidity and plenty of filtered sunlight. If an orchid is having trouble in one area in my house, I will rotate them with a plant that is thriving in the bathroom. 

Foxy Columbine Flowers

Columbine blooming in foxy planter

The columbines are starting to bloom! I love these no-fuss, drought-tolerant, beautiful perennial flowers. In our area, columbines die-back in winter, but they emerge again in the spring, bigger and better than the year before. I grow mine in a decorative foxy planter under the porch, but they would do just as well in a sunny garden.

Daylilies

Tennessee Grown Photo of Night Ember Daylily

I have been adding plants like crazy this year, and from unlikely sources. I normally purchase plants in-person or from plant catalogs, but this year I have purchased plants from Amazon. I was especially happy with the healthy Night Ember Daylilies I received from Tennessee Grown. The bareroots I received were noticeably larger than ones I would often receive from plant catalogs. I am so excited to see these bloom this summer!

Gardening: Knee and Back Saver

If you don't have a Garden Kneeling Pad, consider getting one. I have went years without one, but I finally decided to get one after my knees and back were aching over the long hours I have spent working in the garden. I have only used it for over a week, and it has already made a huge difference!