5 Plants for Early Spring!

At GrowIt! we stand by the ideal that all men and women were created equal. However, we also believe that all plants were not. Some plants bloom all summer long, but don’t bloom in the cooler parts of spring. Whereas some plants like it cool, but stop flowering in June.

Here are 5 plants that you’ve probably been seeing quite a bit of recently. They perform best in the earlier spring months before it gets too hot. If you’re looking for some last minute color for your gardens, through May these might be ok for you. However, these plants are not going to last all summer… and that’s ok! Basically what we’re saying is: take pictures of these plants when you see them, because they are in their prime now, and they’re only going to decline from here.

1. Hellebores – These early spring blooming perennials are favorites in a lot of collector gardens. Very popular in the Pacific Northwest and are generally hardy up to Zone 5 with some varieties even managing to over winter in Zone 4. So as long as you aren’t seeing temps lower than -15 to -25 degrees Fahrenheit your chances are good at this popping up every year. Some varieties have an awesome lime green bloom color which is not easy to find in the plant world!

From User: luriegarden

From User: indianajones64

2. Erysimum or Wallflower – A great flower for beginner gardeners looking to dabble in those early spring bloomers. Erysimum offers a great range of colors. Also, it’s one of the spring-bloomers that prefers the sunny spots. If you live in a warmer area (not the tundra of the Midwest) you might even see this come back for you!

From User: chaletnursery

3. Bleeding Heart or Dicentra – This perennial has one of the most unique flowers. It actually looks like a heart! Beautiful pink and white blooms year after year. However, they often stop flowering when the summer heat starts setting in.

From User: sidraisch

4. Tulips and Daffodils – We couldn’t leave out these bulbs! While tulips and daffodils are some of the most famous plants across the globe, many forget that they do not last into the summer. This is why tulip festivals are always held in the early parts of spring. Sometimes even as soon as mid-May these will begin to go out of flower. Take photos of these ASAP before it’s too late!

From User: nickflax1

From User: mrsjenclarke

5. Osteospermum – Sometimes referred to just as “Osteos” these can be a little tricky. Most varieties on the market prefer the cooler spring temps over the heat of the summer. However, some companies are working on varieties that can stand up to the heat! Before you buy this one, be sure to check the tag to make sure you know whether you’re getting something for spring interest or something that might last a little longer.

From User: cleigh

Another spring flower of note is Pericallis or Cineraria. You might have seen a lot of these on GrowIt! recently! This is because Suntory Flowers is giving away $200 in total prizes to people who upload a picture of their Senetti brand pericallis onto GrowIt! with the hashtag #SenettiRocks in the comments! One winner will receive $100 and two second place winners will receive $50. How cool is that? You could win some cash for your garden just by uploading a photo!

Be sure to stay tuned as we’ll be getting ready to see even more color in the garden as the temps get warmer! Next time we’ll be talking about all those plants that love the heat!

Do You Believe in Magic?!

GrowIt! Co-founder Seth Reed recently had the opportunity to go to Disney World with his family. The plants caught his eye for sure. This is what he had to say:

I’m going to take a wild guess that you’ve probably visited Disney at least once in your lifetime.  If you haven’t had the opportunity yet, you have to put it on your list.  If you have kids, wait till they are about 5, and then take them and their faces will light up in ways you could never have imagined! A few weeks ago I took my family including our 4 year old daughter, and we had a blast.

I’m from the Midwest, and the months of November through February just suck.  The weather is cold, the trees have no leaves, and generally speaking the landscape is kind of dismal – unless you’re one of those people that see 3 feet of snow as a winter wonderland.  Disney World on the other hand is in Orlando, Florida. I should have known better, I guess you could say I was expecting warmer temperatures, but the same grey landscapes. Boy was I wrong! I was pleasantly surprised how green and colorful it was for November.  Below I want to share with you a few ways that Disney makes plants magical…

1. Poinsettias in the landscape – I wasn’t expecting this to be a landscape plant, but it worked fantastically and provided Christmas color everywhere. Much better than how we use it in the Midwest. Poinsettias in large plots look way better than the lonely individual poinsettias we’re used to.

2. Amazing Green Topiarys – ok sometimes having just green creations is a bit boring, but when they are shaped as Disney characters, it brings an area to life! Too Cool!

3. Hanging Baskets – Even with limited options they tend do find something creative to show off.

4. Green is everywhere – everywhere I looked there were trees and plants to help set the mood, and transform the setting into the magical world that they want you to experience.

Perhaps Disney is already aware that plants make people calmer, or that plants provide better oxygen, or that the plant life provides a cooler temperature in the region, or that the shade extends the life of the concrete that it encompasses.  Whatever the reason, it appears that plant life is an integral part of the Disney experience, and that is all part of the magical plan.

I would love to hear comments about your own trips and the plants you saw.

-Seth Reed, Co-founder of GrowIt!

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Love Is In The Air… Plant!

At GrowIt! we’re always looking for creative, outside of the box ideas!

Our friends at Plant Jungle have provided us with another fantastic how-to guest blog!

Roses are a traditional Valentine’s day gift, but if your S.O. is not traditional, you may want to get them something that is not as standard as roses. How about a Tillandsia driftwood centerpiece? Or a Tillandsia coral centerpiece? It is the perfect gift for the minimalist plant lover.

Items for customized centerpiece:

*   Waterproof glue
*   Tillandsia
*   Driftwood or dry coral skeleton
*   Lichen
*   Moss
Tillandsia, aka air plant, is quite versatile as it can grow almost anywhere as long as it is in a well-ventilated area. If you want to add moss as an accent, we recommend gluing at a lower area away from the Tillandsia because the moss tends to hold too much moisture which is incompatible with Tillandsia. I solved that conundrum by placing the Tillandsia at the crown or highest point of the driftwood while placing the moss at the bottom. This placement ensures that the excess water will spill from the Tillandsia onto the moss. Therefore, the Tillandsia doesn’t get root rot and the moss gets enough water.

Some things to consider:

*   Soak ocean driftwood prior to gluing the Tillandsia otherwise the salinity may kill the plant
*   Avoid pressure treated driftwood as it may contain copper which is damaging to Tillandsia
*   Reverse osmosis water is best for your plants as it has impurities removed while maintaining trace elements
*   Coral is more compatible with Tillandsia as it is more porous than driftwood. This porosity allows adequate ventilation.
*   When gluing your Tillandsia to driftwood, glue to porous crevices around the crown to allow for water drainage.
*   If your Tillandsia has bloomed, avoid spraying the flower. Just spray the base of the plant.

Caring for your plants:

*   Soak the Tillandsia for 15-20 minutes upon receiving your plant.
*   After the Tillandisa is fully dry, glue and thereafter mist the Tillandsia/moss once or twice a week. In drier climates, you may need to mist the Tillandsia more. Avoid overwatering!
*   If Tillandsia becomes dry, soak for 10-15 minutes
*   Water in the morning as Tillandsia absorbs carbon dioxide at night
*   Lighting: Both the Tillandsia and moss prefer indirect sunlight
*   8-10 drops of water every 2-3 days for lichens

Beside soaking driftwood, this project will take only minutes to complete and will last much longer than flowers!

About Plant Jungle:

Since 1998, Plant Jungle has been providing quality indoor plants and plant design for home owners as well as businesses. Go to www.plantjungle.com to purchase plant tools, plant supplies, live tropical plants, containers, and more.

Is your business in need of decor? Per your business’s aesthetic, we design indoor plant containers as well as provide maintenance for the well-being of your plant. Need some privacy at your office? These cubicle plant containers will provide camouflage from your nosey neighbor:  http://www.plantjungle.com/index.php/planters/cubicle-planters.html

More Than Poinsettias!

Trying to do the whole Christmas plant thing this year? Well here’s the scoop.

Believe it or not you actually have options! For years the go-to has always been Poinsettias. Classic Red, Pink, and White used to be the only varieties that you could find, but these days you can get them in just about any color as well. Just know that if you’re seeing Blue, Purple, or a Silver Sparkle, that your Poinsettia is putting on a façade. Psst! It’s Painted!  If that’s your thing we won’t judge. Just don’t let those plant purists find out.

However, we’re here to tell you that you don’t have to succumb to the pressures of Christmas past! If you want to change things up a bit this year we have a couple different plants to try out.

This first plant on our GrowIt! “Nice List” is the Christmas Cactus!

The Christmas Cactus isn’t actually something new at all. It’s a plant that used to be pretty popular but like the Poinsettia (and that “Shake it Off” song by T. Swift) it was overplayed! Now the waiting period has passed. People are starting to question why they disappeared in the first place.

It’s a showy plant that comes in a couple different colors. The most common of which are a red, and a purplish pink. The leaves have a pretty rockin’ texture too. They’re almost reminiscent of pieces on a suit of knight’s armor! Also, even though their name might suggest that they have a thorny or spiky element, they won’t stab your fingers or pets! Plus after the holidays a Christmas Cactus can be kept. It turns into a pretty cool houseplant, and you can look up methods on how to get it to re-bloom!

The other Poinsettia alternative that we have to offer up is the Amaryllis.

If you could ever use the word “sexy” to describe a plant, you would use it to describe the Amaryllis. Sleek and beautiful, it stands out as a decadent piece for this time of the year. If you’re looking to impress guests this Christmas, seek out a couple of these bad boys. Maybe even think about sending one to that special someone.

You can find them in a few different colors. Pink and white are nice, but RED is the way to go. It’s a classic look that hasn’t been overdone. Pricing usually depends on the variety of the Amaryllis. You can usually find these at shops when they’re just about to bloom. However, if you’re feeling adventurous try starting it from a bulb ahead of time!

Whether you’re sticking with the “old standard” or trying something new, we hope you have a fantastic Christmas season!

Merry Christmas!
Mason Day, Cofounder of GrowIt!
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Holiday Contest!

It’s time to kick off the first annual GrowIt! Holiday photo contest!
We will be awarding special prizes to the top three photos uploaded to GrowIt! during the holiday season.

How will we be judging the photos?

• Obviously each photo must be a picture of a living plant. Cut Greens, Christmas Trees, Food, and Silk Flowers DO NOT COUNT!

• The picture must show some sort of Holiday Cheer! No matter which Holidays you celebrate, it’s the time of year to decorate and be with family and friends.

• And lastly if you can get a picture of Santa holding your plant there may be bonus points involved.

So get out there and let’s see those Poinsettia and Christmas Cactus pictures!

Quinoa Stuffed Squash!

Every great recipe starts with great ingredients.

Everyone knows that the best of those ingredients are fresh, local, and if possible straight from your garden!

It’s harvest season and with that comes a surplus of veggies like squash, onions and peppers. We thought we would help you out with an AWESOME fall recipe for:

Sausage and Quinoa stuffed Acorn Squash

Courtesy of Seth’s Amazing Girlfriend Elizabeth!

What you will need:

1 Cup Quinoa (cooked according to package)

3 Green Onions, diced

1 Cup Grape Tomatoes, cut in halves

1/2 Red Pepper, diced

2 Spicy Chicken Sausages, diced

3 TBSP. Fresh Mint, diced super fine

1/4 Cup Fresh Flat Leaf Parsley, diced super fine

1/2 Lemon, squeezed

1/2 Lime, Squeezed

1/2 Cup Olive Oil

Salt and Pepper to taste

Red Pepper Flakes (Optional)

Parmesan cheese (Optional)

1 Acorn Squash, cut in half

 Directions:

1. Preheat Oven to 375°. Cut squash in half, and remove all seeds and strings. Place cut side down into a baking dish with one inch water. Bake 45min.

2. While squash is cooking, prepare quinoa according to package directions.

3. Wisk together olive oil, lemon, lime, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes.

4. In a large mixing bowl add green onions, tomatoes, red peppers, sausages and olive oil mixture to prepared quinoa. Mix well.

5. Remove squash from oven. Place in a dry baking dish, cut side up. Fill with quinoa mixture, and sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Place back into oven for 21 minutes, or until heated thoroughly.

6. Serve with love and enjoy 🙂

Gardener’s Note!: Some left over scraps can be replanted for future use! For example if you’re only using the green part of green onions, you can replant the bottoms!

The Basics

Liking plants and being a good gardener are two very different things. The nice thing about GrowIt! is that we don’t care if you’re a great gardener. If you like plants we’ve got something for you!

For those in the audience that fall into that group of plant fans that might not have the greenest of thumbs we’re here to help you out. The good thing about the skill of growing is that (so far) it hasn’t been determined to be a genetic trait. That means anyone can develop a green thumb. Some just catch on quicker than others.

You have to start out somewhere right? What are good plants for rookie growers?

Why don’t we start out with something simple, yet TOTALLY AWESOME!

SUCCULENTS

Do you have a table, windowsill, patio, deck, yard, bowl, or a plastic cup? I thought so. You can literally plant succulents in any of those areas. Succulents come in millions of different shapes, sizes, and colors. These plants store water which means that they are excellent for those that might not be so great at remembering to water! Maybe you’ve heard of some of them like Echeveria, Hens and Chicks, or Aloe.

A lot of succulents stay petite which makes them great for apartment growers that don’t have much space, but still want to green up their abode.

AIR PLANTS

Are you too lazy to water or just the most forgetful person… ever? Then maybe we need to start with something that requires even less attention than a succulent. Recently Air Plants have become very popular.

Why do they call them air plants? They literally get the water and nutrients they need from the air. They don’t even need soil! You can find air plants in all sorts of cool containers. Some even come attached to magnets for your refrigerator.

Are you already growing some of these plants? Share with us on GrowIt!

Anyone can grow plants, you just have to start at the right level!

Get out there and GrowIt!

-Mason Day, Cofounder, GrowIt!

www.twitter.com/growitmobile

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What is GrowIt!?

You’re here.

 

You’ve heard a little about GrowIt!…. or a lot depending on which co-founder you talked to.

 

You’re interested, but you want to know more. You have so many questions!

 

In time we want to answer everything, but let’s do it in small doses.

 

The first and most obvious question is:

 GrowIt! is Plants.

No, GrowIt! is not physically plants. It represents plants and how we can bring them to a mobile platform. We want to inspire new growers and encourage experienced gardeners to share their stories. Stories from the garden are told through plants. We are the mobile outlet to share those stories.

 

When you’re new to a city and want to find a place to eat, what do you do? You use Yelp. When you’re new to gardening….. you use GrowIt!. GrowIt! is built on a network of user uploaded photos that are tagged by you and your phone’s GPS.

 

If a user sees a plant that they like or dislike, they take a picture of it, then identify it (or label it as “Help Me Identify” to have it labeled for you), and then give it a rating. After the photo is uploaded, other users within a 75 mile radius can see that photo in the “Rate” feed and give it their own rating. Through time, pictures and plants acquire ratings and comments. Then anyone looking for plant inspiration can filter through these photos and ratings to find the plants that they like best. Again, you only see things from 75 miles around you, so you should only be seeing things that work in your area. Local plants for local people.

The cool thing is that GrowIt! makes finding the right plant as easy as knowing your favorite color. You don’t know anything about plants, but want to plant your first flowerbed? Don’t feel intimidated. Search GrowIt! and find something you like before you ever even go to the store! Have a question about a specific plant or photo? Leave a comment and ask a question for that user!

Our job is to connect people to people and people to plants. It’s a social world!

So why don’t we Garden Socially!?

 

Mason Day – Co-founder, GrowIt!

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