Indoor gardening, vase, pot planting and exhibition

Indoor planting, hanging basket, placing of house plants, exhibition and judging, vase life and pot mixture are some important topics among the different topics of ornamental horticulture.

Indoor Gardening

Define indoor gardening. Describe placing of indoor plants. (AFU 2070,71)

Highlight important steps necessary for effective maintainance of indoor plants.(AFU 2072)

Indoor gardening refers to growing plants inside building. It is beneficial for those who lack natural garden outside. Plants sensitive to temperature and humidity can be easily grown inside a building. Off season growing is also possible if grown inside.

Placing of House plants

East and North Window	South window	West Window	Dark Corner
Anthurium, Araucaria, Begonia, Dieffenbachia, Fern, Ficus, etc.	Aglonema, Chlorophytum, Hedera, Tradescantia, etc	Acalypha, Amaryllis, Cacti, Chrysanthemum, Daffodils, Rose, etc	Araucaria, Marantha, Philodendron, Zebrina etc

Requirements of indoor gardening

Proper environment is essential for the healthy growth of plants and it varies with different house plants.

a.Light

Plants require light for their growth but intensity is not the same. Plants that require high light intensity when grown in low light show weak growth, etiolation, lanky growth and pale leaves. Shade loving when grown in high light intensity get scorched or sun-burn and later dry up.

Usually, Green foliage plants require less sunlight than those with variegated or coloured leaves like Croton, Colous, etc.

Dieffenbachia, Philodendron, Sansevieria, etc. require very little light as compared to croton and rubber plant.

Flowering plants like Coleus, Geranium, Begonia, etc require full sunglight for best growth.

b.Temperature

Most of the plants grow best at day temperature ranging from 18-24⁰C and night temperature 10⁰C or lower.

c.Humidity

Relative humidity of 40-60% is best for plant growth. In order to maintain humidity spraying, Sponging and placing considering the moisture approach is important.

d.Ventilation

Fresh air is required. Gas from stove and furnace are harmful to plants.

e.Watering

Cactus and succulents require less water whereas Cyperus spp and Calla net wet conditions. Knock on side of pot if produced other than dull sound like metallic or hollow sound indicate lack of moisture.

f. Soil

2 top soil, 1 sand, 1 FYM, 1 TSP bone meal + SSP 15 cm

g.Feeding

1 TSP complete fertilizer once a month

h. Potting and repotting

Size of plan and pot should be taken care of. Repotting required when roots get matted outside earthen ball or pot bound condition.

i.Training, pruning, pinching,cleaning

Coleus, Geranium-Pinching

Rose, Bougainvillea- Prunning

Opuntia(staking)

Rose-prunning

Brushing, Sponging with luke warm water, spraying water for cleaning

Potting, Repotting and Hanging basket

Why potting and re-potting is necessary for ornamental plants?

Potting because

· Potted plants are easily transferable
· Individual attention can be given.
· Economy of water and space.
· Miniature requires potting.

Repotting because

· Root system gets crowded after one or two season or pot bound condition.
· Nutrient is exhausted.
· Pot size is small for the plant as rots are clinging outside the earthern ball so replace with bigger one.
· Along with change in soil it also includes cleaning of pot and removal of broken pots.

Hanging basket

Exhibition and Judging

Briefly describe flower exhibition judging process? (AFU 2075)

Elligibility criteria is defined.
Application are received from participants.
Required standard, procedure and marking criteria are forwarded to participants.
Different committees are made for different tasks

Financial committee
Floral committee
Plant committee
Security committee

Judging

Score card

Culture-4 marks
Quality/Rarity- 3 marks
Appearance of foliage- 2 marks
Display- 1 marks

Vase life

@ VASE IS WATER

Vase life made longer by:

Impregnation- antimicrobial reagent(AgCl, AgNO3, CoCl2)
Sugar-sugar provide carbohydrate
Water-deionized
Acid- organic- reduce pH –reduce microbial growth
Temperature, Humidity, Light – 20-30⁰C, 40-80%, 1000-2500 lux for 12hr daily
Ethylene Scrubber- suppress autocatalytic ethylene production(STS-Silver thio sulphate)
Regulator- Growth regulators decreases respiration and metabolism and ageing decrease