Deciding on keeping fish is the easy part, but deciding on what kind of fish to get, from the numerous species available is difficult. Reading all you can about the varieties of aquarium fish and their characteristics and all about setting up an aquarium helps a lot in making the right purchase. It is always better to get an aquarium ready before buying fish as the fish needs to have a ready environment to live as soon as we bring them home.

The biggest consideration when setting up your aquarium is to decide whether you want to house tropical fish or cold water fish. Both Fresh water and Marine species can be either Tropical or cold water i.e they may need either warm or cold temperatures to live. Some fish are very hardy and relatively easy to keep, while others are so fragile that a temperature drop of a few degrees will kill them. Choose fish for your tank that are fairly hardy and that require the same environmental conditions. Some fish may not be compatible when put together. So you must make sure the fish that you choose for your tank are all compatible with each other.

Once you have your aquarium completely set up with or without a heater, you can decide on the fish to put in it. There are many different tropical fish available in the market. Although they need a heater, they are often more colorful than cold water fish.

A fresh water tank is easier for beginners than a salt water or marine tank. Fresh water fish are easier to manage than the marine species. For the beginner, any of the popular fresh water live-bearing fish, especially guppies, mollies, and so on or gold fish, angel fish etc will be the best. If one needs some fish more colourful, white cloud mountain fish is another option. All of these fish are fairly hardy, and can live at room temperatures. But most of the ornamental variety of freshwater fish are tropical, which require a heater.

Most of the marine fish species are tropical. Among the Marine aquarium fish species, damsel fish, clown fish (anemone fish) etc are best for beginners where as dragonets and lionfish should be kept only by experienced breeders with large tanks. Sharks, rays, batfishes etc should be avoided. Many marine species will be completely incompatible and necessitate careful selection of species when choosing which fish to keep in ones aquarium.

Things to remember before buying fish for your Aquarium

Once you have decided on a particular species of fish (either Fresh water or Marine) to keep, the next thing is to pick out healthy ones from the lot for sale. It is always better to avoid buying from a store which smells like fish as there may be dead or dying fish around. Avoid fish with cloudy eyes, faded or dull, with open sores and spots on their body. Avoid buying fish that are sluggish or appear to be shivering or the ones that are floating belly up. Take a good look at all the fish in a particular tank. If any appear sick, don't buy any fish from that tank. Choose an active, alert fish. Make sure the fish you choose will be compatible with each other. Characteristics of certain species also matters. Some fish are social but some others will kill each other. If you would like to keep some aggressive variety, be sure to keep them by themselves. Try to get fish pretty much the same size. When you purchase new fish it is better to keep them away from the others a few days to monitor them for diseases.

Many people are attracted by the quiet and gentle fish as a room mate and companion. Fish make great pets. Watching the fish in an aquarium bring relaxation and are enjoyable for persons of every age and interest. It is almost like you go into a trance when you watch them. Statistics show that collecting fish is the second largest hobby in the world. There are over 25,000 species of fish. Fish keeping dates back to Roman times, and first became a popular hobby in Europe in the 1600s.

Fish are pets that do not require much care, and an aquarium can add to the decor of a room. The wonderful thing about fish is the large assortment of shapes, sizes and colours. The behavior of fish also varies with different species. The reasons why fish are so popular as pets is that they are relatively inexpensive to keep, inexpensive to feed, as well as they keep the environment clean and need relatively a small space as compared to other pets. They are welcome anywhere you live, be it a rented house, flat or apartment.

Scientific Name: Dianthus Caryophyllus

Family: Caryophyllaceae

Common names: Carnation, Divine flower, Clove pink, Gilly Flower

Colour: Various


Native of the Eurasia, Carnations; the most popular garden plant is one among some 300 species of annual, biennial and perennial herbs in the genus Dianthus. There are hundreds of more hybrid varieties. Dianthus in Greek means 'Flower of Zeus' or Divine flower.

Carnations will grow from 2" to 3 feet high, most garden varieties grow 10 to 20 inches tall. The plants have grayish-green foliage and fragrant, semi-double rosy, purple or white flowers. There are many hybrid varieties in a variety of colours and sizes with no fragrance. They bloom mainly during cool times of the year, especially early winter. They are great plants to grow in gardens and can be used as cut-flowers. If properly treated, carnations will last up to a month.

Planting

Carnations require fertile, slightly alkaline, neutral, well-drained soil and 4-5 hours of full sun each day. They should be planted 12-18 inches apart. Propagation can be done by seeds, cuttings, layering or division.

Seeds can be sowed, 1/8 inch deep in a well drained mix in spring or early summer. Make sure the compost is moist but not wet. Mist spray occasionally and keep it moist. The seeds will germinate in 2 to 3 weeks. Transplant in pots or on the ground when large enough to handle and the plants will bloom in 6 - 9 months or a year.

Cuttings can be taken off any carnation, but the best shoot come from cuttings off a year-old plant after it has bloomed. In fact, the flower stem is often the only place where a carnation will form a stalk long enough to take a cutting from. It is best to take carnation cuttings in early Fall. They will root at the swollen node hidden beneath each leaf. Cut at an angle just below a node, and trim off the top, leaving 1 node for roots at the bottom and one at the top for the growth to come out of. Poke into well-drained soil in pots or in a seedling tray.

Layering is the easiest way to propagate carnations and the plant will do this themselves once mature. Observing a mature clump of carnations, seek out sturdy stems pointing away from the centre of the clump. If you look at the bottoms of these stems they will often be rooted, and if they are not yet, you can promote rooting by bending them down to touch the soil. Keep them pinned down with a rock, a stick, or whatever else. Cut off any flowers that are growing on that particular stem. Within a few weeks you will see your new plant rooting. Once the roots seem 4 to 5 inches long, cut this new plant away from the mother plant and repot in well-drained soil.

They can also be propagated by division. Dig up the whole non productive clump of an old plant. Gently and carefully separate the plant segments with your hands or gardening fork. Replant each new division in a well drained mix and keep it moist.

Care

Carnations need some hours of full sun each day and should be kept moist. Avoid over-watering as it may tend to turn the foliage yellow. For continued blooming feed lightly every 6 to 8 weeks with an all-purpose (10-10-10) liquid fertilizer. Spent flowers should be removed promptly to promote continued blooming.

What is Bonsai?

Bonsaiconsists of trees or bushes, and some types of perennial herbs found in fieldsor mountains, which are artistically planted in small pots or containers,occasionally in combination with rocks of many forms, so as to reproduce in miniature the lordly appearance of large aged trees or landscapes such as those found in nature. Hence they are quite different from ordinary potted plant whose primarypurpose is the enjoyment of their leaves and blossoms.

History of Bonsai:

The art of bonsai originates with the Chinese, but the Japanese who were lovers of gardening have contributed much to the art form we now know. It may be considered the highest form of horticulture as a hobby. In fact bonsai of the best kind can be fully appreciated, much as paintings or sculptures, for their elegance as a plastic art. Even if such heights cannot be attained, the pleasure of growing bonsai is unique and its decorative purpose both in garden and indoors make it an art that yields lasting enjoyment.


Planting a Bonsai

Bonsai requires from the maintainer utmost patience and care. The plant placed in a pot filled with soil should be such that water drains according to the plants’ needs. The pots required for such a task are specially available with holes made at the sides and/or base to drain the left over water. Stagnant water in the pot not only inhibits the proper growth of most plants, it may even prove fatal to the plant. Over time the pot will become choked with roots rendering the plant unable to breathe. At this stage, the vital transplanting process takes place.

The transplanting of the plant from the old pot to the new one is the key to its proper maintenance and quite easily the most difficult part of maintaining a bonsai. The repotting involves pruning the plant roots (which are at the time overgrown) and trimming the branches, keeping in mind the overall harmony of the plant, and finally the plant is placed in fresh soil.

Appying golden anti rust on the background In two or three weeks time, the pruned roots sprout anew. The branches of the bonsai are rejuvenated and new branches appear. The bonsai grower, keeping in mind the shape of the tree, regularly prunes the nips of the tree buds.

Bonsai are living plants. To ensure adequate photosynthesis they are raised out of doors in broad sunlight. Watering, also, is essential. Accepted practice for watering bonsai is to water the plant when the soil dries out but the watering pattern is to be varied as per the seasons.

Since bonsai are living plants, they need nourishing fertilizer as well as drinking water. After repotting, they should be given small amounts of oil cake every month and bone manure every two or three weeks. Pesticides are used to help check the harmful insects that affect the growth of certain bonsai verities.

Scientific Name: Zinnia Elegans


Family: Asteraceae


Common names: Zinnia, Ommon zinnia, Garden zinnia

Flowering Period: May-August

Colour: Red, yellow, orange, pink, rose, lavender, white or mulicoloured


Native to Mexico and Central America, Zinnias are old garden favorites. There are two main types of zinnia, garden, spreading and crosses between the two. This annual plant will grow between 6 and 40 inches in height with single and double blossoms. Garden Zinnia has solitary daisy like flower heads on long stems and bristly oval shaped leaves. There are a lot of varieties of about 20 species with bright colours like lavender, orange, pink, purple, red, rose, salmon, white, yellow, even green etc in different sizes. Zinnias can be used as borders, in pots and containers or as background plants and are excellent fresh cut flowers which may last a week or more.

Propagation and Care

Zinnias are easily grown in evenly moist, well-drained soils in full sun but in very hot climate it may benefit from light afternoon shade. Zinnias generally grow well in warm climates.

The propagation is through seeds. Seeds can be sown directly in the ground and it will germinate in one to two weeks. To encourage quick growth and best performance, enrich the soil with compost and transplant in ground 30cm apart according to variety or in pots. Zinnias are sensitive to root disturbance, so be especially careful when transplanting. If the taproot is disturbed, the double flowers may revert to single forms. The plants may also self-seed in the garden and some varieties are available from nurseries. Successive sowing every couple of weeks beginning from April through early July will ensure continuous flowering till winter. Most zinnias will bloom around three months to bloom from seed.

If growth is slow or leaves look pale green, fertilize with a soluble or controlled release fertilizer. Pinch young plants when they are 4-6inches high to promote compact, bushy growth. Good air circulation helps prevent onset of fungal leaf diseases. Deadhead spent flowers weekly if possible to promote additional bloom and maintain plant appearance. Mildew is a common problem for zinnias in rainy or humid climates which causes powdery white spores on the leaves drawing out moisture. It can be controlled by spraying a solution of 1/2tsp baking soda in 2quarts of water and a few drops of liquid soap.

Scientific Name: Centaurea cyanus

Family: Composite

Common names: Bachelor's Button, Cornflower

Flowering Period: June-July


Colour: Blue, White, Pink, Purple, Red


A native to Europe, this annual plant is now found through out the world. The multi-stemmed plant grows up to 1-3 feet with grayish green foliage and yields many flowers through out the summer. The flowers commonly seen in blue are small about 1 to 1 1/2 inches across with petals flaring out. Leaves covered with small white hairs have a gray- green appearance. The blooms are excellent for dry flower arrangements as they retain their colour when dried.

Planting

The plants are propagated through seeds. The seeds germinate better if they have been kept in refrigerator for few days before sowing. Seeds can be sown indoors in pots or outdoors in September- October or in March- April. The seeds take about one and a half weeks to germinate. Seedlings can be transplanted 12 inches apart in the garden in a mixture of soil and organic mix. The plant prefers full sun in various soil types for best results. These flowers usually self-sow and come back from year to year.

Scientific Name: Tagetes spp.

Family: Asteraceae

Common names: Marigold

Colour: Varied


Marigold is a fast growing annual herb which grows to almost 6-12" tall and produce single, semi double, fluffy double or crested flowers, depending on the species and variety. The pinnate leaves with toothed, lance-shaped leaflets are aromatic. This bushy plant with around 20 to 30 species, have a long flowering period and the colours range from orange, yellow, gold, cream to apricot. French Marigold (large flower heads) and African Marigold (small flower heads) are the two common species. They are often used as a bedding plant, as well as for edging, backgrounds, and as cut flowers. Marigold is a common garden plant found throughout the world.

Planting

Marigolds can be easily grown in all climates and require a well drained soil and good sunlight. It can propagate or multiply from seeds or tender cuttings. The seeds can be sown directly in the garden anytime except winter or they can be started indoors for earlier blooms. Space the plants 8-16 inches apart depending on the variety. The plants will spread out and become bushy. Water deeply and regularly, especially in hot weather. It can be grown in an informal border on the ground or in pots in a equal mixture of sand, soil and compost. Mulching (spreading a mixture of wet leaves to enrich the soil) between plants will help to conserve moisture. If given an early start, they will bloom throughout summer and autumn.

Care

Marigolds does not need specific care. They are rarely disturbed by insects or diseases and can tolerate dry conditions and full sun. Pinch young plants to promote bushy growth. Deadheading of spent flowers and faded leaves greatly enhances the plant's appearance during flowering. If growing as cut flowers, pinch out terminal buds to encourage laterals. Water well during dry weather. The plant can be kept indoor during heavy rains as too much water will wilt the plant.

Scientific Name: Impatiens Balsamina

Family: Balsaminaceae

Common names: Balsam, Garden Balsam, Lady Slipper

Colour: Varied


Native to Southeast Asia, this erect, sparsely-branched, tender annual plant is a species of impatiens. These plants which grows upto 18inches tall have thick-juicy stems and medium spiky edged light green leaves. Flowers can be single or double around 2 inches diameter, bloom singly or in small clusters from the leaf axils, close to the stem and the colour ranges from white, pink, rose, red, violet, bicolour etc.

Propagation and Care

Balsams can easily grown in evenly moist, organically rich, well-drained soils in full sun to half shade. The seeds can be sown directly in the garden and it will sprout in one to two weeks or they can be started indoors in small pots to stall full growth and make them more compact and for earlier blooms. The plants may self-seed in the garden. Enrich the soil with compost and transplant in ground 12 to 14 inches apart or in pots. After transplanting the plants may wilt for a day or two. They develop good root systems and may be transplanted even in full bloom, but afterwards they should be well watered.

They can be planted as borders or low hedges. For balsams, there is no serious insect or disease problems. For bushier growth, pinch back young plants and water regularly. Remove weak shoots which form at the base of the plants. Plants with three or four shoots bloom better than those with many shoots. Balsam does not tolerate wet or cold weather. They can be placed indoors during heavy rains.

Scientific Name: Impatiens Wallerana

Family: Balsaminaceae

Common names: Common Impatiens, Busy Lizzy, touch-me-not, jewel weed

Flowering Season: May until early frost, throughout summer

Colour: Multicolor


Impatiens, one of the popular flowerbed plants is the most dependable summer annual. It is a native to the tropical forests of East Africa. These plants have thick stems and leaves are usually medium green, but sometimes dark green or reddish green, and with variegated forms. The flowers most widely available come in a number of colours from red, salmon, orange, pink, white etc. They are also seen in bicolours and double flowering forms. They are sometimes known as Touch-me-nots. The 2-inch flower blooms from May until early frost.

Propagation and Care

Impatiens is an easy-to-grow plant from seed or cuttings. They are moderately difficult to grow from seed. Seed are sown in a mixture of sand, loam and organic matter (cow dung) in equal proportion. Seeds will germinate in one to two weeks.

Cuttings, can be planted anytime (preferably not in rainy season), in the same medium as that of the seed on the ground or in a polyethylene plastic bag and later replanted. Before planting, enrich the soil with compost. For bushier growth, pinch back young plants. Water when the top 2-inch layer of soil is dry. Keep moist but well drained; too much water will wilt the plant. Fertilize monthly with a general fertilizer. Grows best in part to full shade not direct sun. The plant grows up to of 10 to 14 inches in height. Pinch back as needed if plants become leggy or overgrown, as they will in climates with long summers.

Scientific Name: Callistephus Chinensis

Family: Asteraceae

Common names: Aster, China Aster

Flowering Period: August-September

Colour: Various


The family Asteraceae have an estimated 1,150 genera and a huge number of species seen almost all over the world originating from North America, Europe, China etc. The large China Asters are the most common form grown by florists and gardeners. Native to Asia, this lovely flowering annual is worth the little extra effort it takes for growing. It has a wide array of varieties and the height ranges from 6 inches to 3 feet.

Most species of Aster are perennial and generally bloom in August. They have daisy-like or star-like flower heads (4-6" in diameter) with a yellow center on leafy, often tall, stems. Their colors vary from white to creamy yellow, pink, blue, red and purple. They do well in beds, borders or pots and are a favorite as cut flowers because of their longevity.


Propagation

Asters need fertile, sandy, well-drained soil and full sun. The propagation is through seeds. Before sowing, sterilize the seeds with organic mercuric compounds to prevent stem rot and damping-off. For sowing of seeds, it is best to use a shallow flat. Add one-forth well rotted manure and enough sand to the soil to prevent the soil from becoming hard.

Fill the flat half or two-thirds full, water thoroughly, and finish filling with soil just moist enough to handle nicely. Sow the seed in rows 2 inches apart, cover with fine sand and press firmly. The wet soil in the bottom will furnish enough moisture so that the boxes will not have to be sprinkled until after the seedlings are up.

The seeds will germinate in a little over a week. As soon as several true leaves have grown, the seedlings should-be transplanted. Use rich soil in the bottom of the flats and ordinary soil above as further protection against disease. Set the seedlings 3 to 9 inches apart depending on the variety. The plants will grow to a height of 6-10 inches to 3 feet and a width of 6-18 inches.


Care

Since they are prone to wilt disease, virus diseases, foot rot, root rot, and aphids, avoid planting in the same location year after year. Pinch off faded flowers and yellowing foliage regularly to encourage new blooms. Shading plants prevents injury from the tarnished plant bug and yellows. If plants are badly diseased, burn them and stop growing China-asters for a few years. Water well in dry weather.