Strawberries are tough plants. They can grow in pots, containers, and in the ground. When grown in decorative pots, strawberries are also good indoor plants because their leaves are plump and the fruits are luscious. A potted strawberry plant with hanging fruits of different shades of red is such a refreshing sight to anyone coming in through your front door.

So how do you start growing your own strawberries? You find a nice pot first. Strawberry pots are a bit costly but they provide spaces or ‘holes’ for the plant runners, and they go with a dish to catch water drippings from the pot so these are appropriate for your indoor strawberry plants.

Strawberries need only 3 important things to survive:

• Sunlight. 6 to 8 hours of morning sun can make the strawberry plants healthy and happy. If your house faced east, you’d just place the strawberry pot just outside the front door. The plants will have some shade protection against direct sunlight, which strawberries hate.
• Good and rich soil. Good soil means clean and free from bacteria or pests. Mix good soil with compost fertilizer. Both homemade and commercial types are fine. You can also buy a bag of potting mix.
• Water. Strawberries need good drainage. Make sure the pot has an appropriate size of hole and that it is not clogged so that excess water will flow out freely. Strawberry fruits dislike getting wet because they will get ill with botrytis.

Now that you have a strawberry pot or two, you go to the local plant nursery and purchase the strawberry seedlings. Choose the hardy variety which give large-sized fruits. The potting mix and fertilizer are also available here.

Caring for your strawberry plants is not difficult. When watering, avoid wetting the plant, especially the fruits. Use a watering container with a long and small-mouthed spout.

Feed your plant with fertilizer every month. Let in some air into the soil by cultivating with a stick. Pull out weeds or any plant growing in the pot so that your strawberries will not have competition.

Birds like strawberries and are attracted by the red color. Put the strawberry pots under a tent made of net when you take them out in the morning to protect the fruits.

Strawberries do not mind when left outside during winter. They seem to fruit better after getting frosted. If their pots shattered, the strawberry plants can be repotted without fuss in the spring. Just remove the dead leaves and keep off moss or weeds.

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Most beginners in gardening do not like growing roses because they consider the flowering plant as too delicate and too picky. Roses, in reality, are very easy to start from mere clippings or stem cuttings.

Scout around the neighborhood for mature rose plants. After asking for permission, get some clippings taken from stems which are near the ground with use of a sharp cutter. The length should be about 6 inches long.  Wrap the lower part of the stems with damp cloth immediately.

The stem cuttings should not be left unattended for a long period. They should be planted to soil or potting mix at once.

In some places, where the climate is optimum and the soil is in good condition, these rose clippings would have thrived after sticking them into the ground. With just a little cultivation, a dash of fertilizer, and regular watering, roses will start to bloom after a few months.

But if you’re living in a not so mild climate, like having a temperature of over 100 degrees in summer and below 32 degrees in winter, you should plant your rose clippings in the fall or spring to get some success.

Here are some basic steps to follow:

1. Immerse the lower part of rose stems in water and cut 1/4 inch length from each end. Let the stem stay submerged in water while preparing the pots.

2. Pack the potting mix or soil in the small pots or small black bags punched with holes. Spray enough water to soften the mix.

3. Remove the leaves from the lower part of the stems and push each one into a pot with potting mix to up to 2 inches. Gently firm the mix around the base of the stem with your fingers.

4. Avoid moving the stem from then on. Spray water regularly. Dip your finger to test the dampness of the potting mix. The stems and the new roots will rot in soggy soil or mix.

5. After 2 months, your rose clippings may have new leaves and new roots. They should be ready to be transplanted in bigger and decorative pots. Plants need sunlight so be sure to take the pots out in the mornings and take them inside again before the sun gets too hot.

6. It may take months before you see the first rose bloom from your own flowering plant but you will enjoy the fragrant flowers for many years to come, with proper care and enough attention.

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A small herb garden is a timely addition to your new lifestyle. By growing herb plants that you use in the kitchen, you will be saving money when you don’t have to buy these at the supermarket. You will just cut some foliage or stem off the herb plant to add taste to the food you cook. Your seasonings are fresh.

During winter, you can still plant herb plants on your windowsill. Choose the varieties that are sturdy enough to grow in pots and containers.

These are the materials you need:
Individual pot, 6 inches deep
Long container, 6 to 12 inches deep
No-soil potting mix
Seedling or young herb plants
Fertilizer

Follow these easy steps to plant your herb garden:
1.    Choose the windowsill that faces the south or southeast direction, or the window that gets 5 hours of sun every day.
2.    Fit the pots and containers on the windowsill.
3.    Purchase the young herb plants from nearby nursery in the morning. Also buy several bags of potting mix and some appropriate fertilizer. Choose the loose and light mixture for good drainage.
4.    Transfer each plant one at a time. Fill the pots and containers with mix up to 3 inches high. Cut the bottom of the seedling’s black bag and put in the right position.
5.    Add more mix around the plant and gently firm to give support. Leave enough space for watering.
6.    Herb plants dislike too much water. Be sure to put enough amount of water to avoid ‘drowning’ the plants.
7.    Sprinkle a recommended amount of fertilizer to the plants every month. Herbs are ready to use when new growth is visible. Cut foliage from plants often to encourage full and bushy growth.

What herb plant varieties to choose:
1.  Basil
2.  Chives
3.  Thyme
4.  Mint
5.  Parsley
6.  Lavender

If you didn’t have windows that get sunlight, fluorescent lights are good substitute. Position the lights 18 inches from the plants and keep on for 10 hours every day.

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