Costa farms Idea Book

Page 1

Plant New Ideas Inspiration by


Create. Learn. Grow. that’swhat gardening is all about! We are Costa Farms, a third-generation, family-owned farm filled with folks who love plants! We grow annuals; perennials; and tropical plants for indoors and outdoors; gift/home decor plants such as orchids, bonsai, lucky bamboo. We want to help you enjoy beautiful plants indoors and out, so we put together this idea book for you. Get more tips and inspiration from our website, www.costafarms.com

The faces of Costa Farms!

Our Tropical Plant Growers

Our Exotic AngelÂŽ Growers

Our Florida Annual Growers

Our North Carolina Annual Growers

Our South Carolina Perennial Growers


pg 2, Gardening Basics

Table

of Contents

Gardening Basics

pg 2 - 3

Seasonal Planting Tips

pg 4 - 5

Punch Up Your Porch

pg 6 - 11

Plan Your Garden

pg 12 - 15

Cool Containers

pg 16 - 19

Fabulous Front Entries

pg 20- 21

Decorate with Exotic Angel速 Plants

pg 22 - 23

Drop and Grow速

pg 24

Orchids are Easy速

pg 25

pg 6, Punch Up Your Porch

pg 12, Plan Your Garden

pg 16, Cool Containers


gardening basics Annuals and Perennials

Most of the gorgeous plants you’ll see when you visit a garden center are annuals or perennials. One way to tell them apart is to read the plant tag. Here’s how to use them in your garden.

Plant Them

Once!

Annuals

Perennials

For quick color in beds, borders, or containers, annuals are the way to go.

For reliable color every year, look for perennials. They come back

Most are in almost constant bloom from spring to fall. Many annuals are

in spring and grow bigger and better with each season. Most

sensitive to temperatures—some grow best during cool weather; others

perennials have a specific bloom time; for color all season, you’ll

thrive in the heat. All annuals die if temperatures dip below freezing.

need to plant a mixture of spring, summer, and fall perennials.

Mix Annuals and Perennials For the most beautiful results, include perennials and annuals in your garden. This way, the annuals carry the color show while your perennials go in and out of flower, creating an ever-changing tapestry of bloom.

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know before you grow 5 Tips for Gardening Indoors

5 Tips for Gardening Outdoors

1. CHECK FOR LIGHT. Different houseplants like different light conditions. Set sun lovers in south-facing windows and shade lovers in north windows.

1. IMPROVE YOUR SOIL. Fertile soil is the key to a successful garden. Add compost and organic matter before you plant.

2. ADD MOISTURE. Most houseplants prefer humid conditions. In winter, use a humidifier.

2. WATCH THE WEATHER. Don’t jump the gun and plant too early. Wait until frost danger has passed.

3. FERTILIZE YEARLY. Most houseplants appreciate a splash of fertilizer once or twice a year. For faster growth, you can feed them more frequently.

3. MINIMIZE WEEDING. Stop weeds before they sprout by adding a thick layer of mulch early in the season.

4. GIVE PLANTS A VACATION. Move your houseplants to a shaded spot outdoors in summer. Do this gradually to protect them from the sun or wind. 5. REPOT IF ROOTBOUND. If roots grow out the drainage holes, transplant your houseplant to a larger container.

Top 5 Easy-Care Annuals By Region

4. WATER WELL. Set a coffee can in your garden so you can measure how much water your garden receives. One inch per week is ideal for a wide variety of plants. 5. START SMALL. If you’re just getting started gardening (or have limited time), begin with just a few plants. You can always add more next year!

Top 5 Easy-Care Perennials By Region

North and Midwest

North and Midwest

Begonia Geranium Marigold Petunia Zinnia

Coneflower Iris Hosta Peony Sedum

South

South

Dahlia Lantana Pentas Salvia Verbena

Alstroemeria Black-eyed Susan Blanket Flower Coreopsis Daylily

Learn more about these plants at CostaFarms.com 3


seasonal planting tips Enjoy a gorgeous garden in all seasons!

Expand Your Perennial Beds

EARLY SPRING Clear Flower Beds Rake mulch out of garden beds so perennials can poke through.

Add perennials to bring

Use a plastic leaf rake; metal garden rakes with sharp tongs can

seasonal color to your yard.

rip tender foliage from emerging plants.

Choose spring-blooming perennials, such as hellebore

Repot Houseplants

and bleeding heart. Summer

Transplant houseplants into a larger pot if they’re root bound. If

bloomers include coneflower

the roots are growing in a tight ball, loosen them to encourage

and daylily. Fall perennials

new growth. Early spring is also a good time to prune leggy

include aster and mums.

houseplants. Pruning encourages more compact growth.

SPRING

Plant Roses

Monitor Rainfall

Plant roses now. For lots of color and easy care, select landscape

If you don’t have a rain gauge, add one. Most plants like about

varieties. These tough-as-nails flowers offer continuous bloom

an inch of moisture a week. A rain gauge helps you track

and look great with perennials. Select a spot with at least 6 hours

rainfall so you can water as needed.

of direct sun a day.

Get

Divide Perennials Divide most perennials as soon as they pop up in spring. Use a spade to dig and lift the clumps; break them into smaller sections. Replant the divisions.

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More

Plants!

Add Annual Flowers Gardeners in frost-free regions can plant warm-season annuals such as angelonia or begonia. Northern gardeners can set out cool-season favorites such as pansy and alyssum.

Try Groundcovers Replace tired turf with groundcovers. They withstand tough conditions. Hint: Make it easy with pre-planted Drop and Grow® groundcover “tiles” and set them on top of the soil.


LATE SPRING Move Houseplants Outdoors After frost danger has passed, move houseplants to a shaded spot. Most houseplants respond quickly with a burst of new growth.

Decorate with Hanging Baskets Brighten porches, patios, and pergolas with hanging baskets. Hanging baskets just need water to look great all summer: Water daily and fertilize every 10 days.

Tidy Up Spring Flowers and Bulbs Once the flowers fade, remove them from early-spring perennials and bulbs. This encourages bulbs to bloom better next year, and depending on the perennial, may give you another show of flowers this season.

Improve Your Lawn Fix bare spots in your lawn. Rake it to remove dead grass, then seed or plug with a turf for your area. Water daily.

Plant Trees and Shrubs Spring, when the weather is cool and moist, is the perfect time to plant trees and shrubs. Dig a hole slightly wider than the plant’s pot. Set the plant into the soil at the same height it was growing in its pot. Water thoroughly and mulch.

SUMMER Plant a Personal Oasis Transform your yard into a personal getaway. Find a comfy chair, surround it with potted palms, and kick back and relax! In fall, move your palms indoors to enjoy all winter.

Pot Succulents and Cacti Succulents and cacti love hot, dry weather. They won’t die if you leave them unattended when you go on vacation. They come in an array of shapes, sizes, and colors so you can create a miniature landscapes in pots and planters.

Replace Cool-Weather Annuals Replace cool-weather annuals, such as pansy and snapdragon with heat-loving cosmos, vinca, and salvia. Look for short, stocky plants with rich, green foliage.

Mulch, Mulch (and Mulch Some More) Mulch is the key to a low-maintenance garden. Add several inches to increase soil moisture and reduce weeds.

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punch up your porch create a lush garden on

any porch—all without getting dirt under your nails! Porch-scaping is easy! Just pick the right plants and set them around your porch to create a garden of delights without lifting a trowel. Choose leafy and blooming houseplants; they love the shaded environments porches provide.

Add color underfoot. Pull together any porch grouping by laying down a colorful rug. This simple tricks unifies any setting.

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cottage charmer Transform your porch or patio into a romantic getaway with plenty of cottage-style charmers. Here’s how:

the plant players Boston Fern

1. LADY PALM (Rhaphis excelsa) has dark-green, fan-shape leaves. 2. RED AGLAONEMA (Aglaonema sp.) features gorgeous ruby hued foliage. 3. BOSTON FERN (Nephrolepis sp.) has a full, elegant look with rich green fronds. 4. PEACE LILY (Spathiphyllum sp.) is a lush and leafy porch performer. 5. GOLDEN POTHOS (Epipremnum aureum) looks stunning in a hanging basket or urn. It’s a fast grower!

the decorative elements Red Aglaonema

Find flea market gems. Pick up pillows, curtains, and rugs at flea markets and use them on your porch.

Freshen with fabrics. Put a new face on old wicker with a vintage linens and plumped up pillows.

Create layers of lushness. Add multiple plants to your porch to create more texture and drama.

Pick a color scheme. Make your porch easy on the

eyes by using two or three colors. Look for plants that echo those hues.

Pot up privacy. Add a backdrop of tall plants to create a wall of seclusion.

Golden Pothos

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Top off pots. Use your vacation shell souvenirs as mulch in containers such as these Dracaena Anita trees, to give them a beachy vibe.


tropical delight Transport your porch to the tropics with an array of leafy beauties that add bold color and fun foliage. Here’s how:

the plant players Bromeliad

1. BROMELIADS are available in a variety of vibrant citrusy colors. 2. MAJESTY PALM (Ravenea rivularis) transforms any porch into a tropical getaway. Tall and frondy! 3. DRACAENA (Dracaena ‘Anita’) is an adorable topiarylike plant that does best in indirect light. 4. DIEFFENBACHIA (Dieffenbachia sp.) have large, wide leaves mottled with white and light green. 5. CROTON (Codiaedum sp.) features painterly leaves splotched with bold color.

the decorative elements Majesty Palm

Mix and match. Pair colorful tropicals (such as bromeliads) with citrus-color tableware.

Top off pots. Use your vacation shell souvenirs as mulch in containers to give them a beachy vibe.

Pack in plants. Don’t skimp when adding plants to a container. Pack them in to deliver a lush look.

Screen the view. Enlist the leafy talents of Majesty palms to make a screen of leaves. Instant privacy!

Croton

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Pack a vintage container. Pull out an old time-loved vintage bucket, washtub, or barrel and pack it full with spiky succulents.


desert escape Turn on the texture on your porch with layers of desert-inspired dÊcor. Here’s how:

the plant players Golden Barrel Cactus

1. GOLDEN BARREL CACTUS (Echinocactus grusonii) features green barrel with showy yellow spines. 2. PONYTAIL PALM (Beaucarnia recurvata) has beautiful sculptural bases that support frilly palm-like leaves. 3. DESERT ROSE (Adenium obesum) blooms in pink, red, or white. 4. ECHEVERIA (Echeveria sp.) is a super-adaptable, silvery succulent. 5. SNAKE PLANT (Sansevieria sp.) features long and slender, architectural leaves.

the decorative elements Snake Plant

Enjoy succulents. Cool succulents like echeverias add a stylish look without being prickly.

Lay down a bright rug. If your porch is generally dry, pull out an old kilim or other brightly colored rug.

Hang it up. Line up adorable little echeverias on a hanging chandelier for a conga line of fun.

Tabletop desert. Add easy-care bowls of succulents

such as crassula and echeveria. They love any sunny spot.

Go twiggy. Include twig-style, rustic furnishings to set the tone.

Desert Rose

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plan your

garden

Our easy garden plans help you build a custom theme garden that will add beauty and value to your landscape. Nature Lovers Perennial Border Transform your backyard into a haven for hummingbirds and butterflies by planting a variety of colorful, nectar-rich, easy-care perennial flowers. It’s easy, too! Just follow our simple garden plan and before you know it you’ll be enjoying beautiful flowers and a host of delightful avian wonders.

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K J

G E

H

F D

C

A B

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A. Lamb’s Ear Showing off purple flower spikes in summer, lamb’s ears attracts hummingbirds, butterflies, and other pollinators.

G. Black-Eyed Susan

A classic perennial flower, it shows off bright yellow, gold, or bronze flowers that have striking dark brown centers.

B. Variegated Sedum

A delightful plant for hot, dry spots, it is super easy to grow and produces attractive clusters of yellow flowers

H. Pincushion Flower Attracting butterflies and bees, this perennial adds softness to the garden.

C. Catmint Catmint is the one of the best flower garden perennials. Its blue-purple flowers appear on and off through the summer.

I. Coneflower

Butterflies love this heat and droughtresistant perennial.

D. Bee Balm

Bee balm is a must-have for hummingbird and butterfly gardens because its nectar-laden flowers are impossible for them to resist.

J. Sedum Gardeners love this classic perennial because it’s so easy to grow. Once established, it barely requires any watering to thrive.

E. Dwarf Butterfly Bush Butterfly bush is an outstanding plant with fragrant, violet-blue flowers all summer long.

K. Russian Sage Producing wands of dainty lavender blooms and silver foliage, it looks good and provides

F. Phlox

nectar in late summer and fall.

Phlox is a hero of the summer garden, with stunning clusters of red, pink, purple, blue or white flowers in hydrangea-like heads.

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Tropic Escape速 Patio

G

E

E

H

B F F

C

A

D D

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A


A. Tropic Escape® Hibiscus Tiki Temptation You’ll love the bold, outrageous color from this hibiscus, which pulls in all the colors of a great sunrise.

E. Tropic Escape® Hibiscus Sunrise Mimosa Each bloom on this hibiscus is a little bit different, ensuring a beautiful show on your patio!

B. Tropic Escape® Hibiscus HibisQs® LaLuna This variety practically smothers itself in a gorgeous display of frilly, fluffy, double orange flowers!

F. Tropic Escape® Mandevilla Costa del SolTM Miami Red Hummingbirds love the ruby-

C. Tropic Escape Mandevilla Sun Parasol® Pretty Pink ®

This vine produces a plethora of pretty pink flowers all summer long—no matter how hot the weather gets!

D. Tropic Escape® Mandevilla Sun Parasol® White

red flowers—and you will, too. The rich color adds depth to the other plantings.

G. Tropic Escape® Mandevilla Sun Parasol® Giant Crimson Bearing big, bold red flowers, Giant Crimson is an eyecatching addition with nonstop blooms.

White harmonizes with everything in the garden, so you’ll love how this mandevilla looks with the other plants in the plan.

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cool containers Plant artful containers with easy-care lush tropicals and succulents. Here are three easy projects!

Project 1: Big-Impact Tropical Container Welcome guests to your home with a showy sun-loving container. Pot up this beauty in just an hour.

List of Materials 1 Majesty palm 2 Red mandevilla 2 Pink hibiscus

How to do it!

Just Plants!

Step 1: Fill a large container with potting soil.

Step 2: Plant majesty palm in center.

Step 3: Add hibiscus in back.

Step 4: Plant mandevilla in front.

5


Project 2: Succulent-Packed Paver Planter Make your own planter with pavers you purchase from a home-improvement store. It’s fun, easy, and inexpensive. Pavers come in different dimensions so you can make containers in several sizes!

Easy

Weekend Project!

How to do it!

Materials

Step 1: Make a square. Arrange four pavers to create

Step 2: Glue sides. Squeeze a thick line of adhesive

5 concrete pavers (or pieces of cut flagstone)

a square.

along each paver. Press the pavers together firmly.

1 tube of landscaping or construction adhesive

Step 3: Glue on bottom. Once the adhesive dries and cures (typically it takes about 24 hours), add adhesive along the inside top edge of each paver and place the remaining paver on top; allow to dry and cure.

Step 4: Fill planter with potting mix (don’t use garden soil). Pack with low-care cacti and succulents.

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Project 3: Plant and Grow

Designing and planting beautiful hanging baskets is easy, and just takes a few minutes!

How to Plant a

Hanging Basket

Step 1: Select Your Basket Choose a basket that matches your style. Hanging baskets come in two basic types: plastic and moss. Plastic baskets are easy to plant and care for. Moss baskets consist of a wire frame with a moss or coir (coconut hull) lining. They look more natural than plastic, and you can often plant them on all sides to create a ball of bloom. Moss baskets tend to dry out quickly and need a bit more water to keep them looking good.

Step 2: Look for Drainage Holes Good drainage is essential. If you’re working with a plastic hanging basket, make sure it has drainage holes in the bottom. Quality plastic baskets have a drip tray attached to prevent water from spilling down on your head when you water. Moss and coir are permeable so drainage isn’t a problem.

Step 3: Buy Potting Soil Choose a quality potting mix. Never use soil directly from your garden; it hardens into a concrete-like ball when dry. Some potting mixes contain granules of dry, slow-release fertilizer, which is an added bonus.

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Step 4: Start Planting Add potting mix until it’s an inch or two below the rim of the hanging basket. Press into place and remove air pockets. Then make holes large enough for your plants. Place the tallest plant in the center of the basket. Surround it with bushy, medium-size plants. Tuck in trailing plants around the edge of the basket to cascade down. After the plants are in place, sprinkle additional potting mix between to completely cover the roots.

Step 5: Fertilize If your potting mix doesn’t contain fertilizer, sprinkle granular, slow-release fertilizer when you plant. Scatter it over the top as if you were adding pepper to

Step 6: Just Add Water Once you’ve planted your basket, water it thoroughly.

a salad. Every time you water, the fertilizer will release

Use a watering can or gentle mist from your garden

into the soil, feeding your plants.

hose until you see water running out of the drainage holes on the bottom of the container.

Step 6: After Care Hang your basket where it gets the appropriate amount of light (sun-loving plants need 6 to 8 hours of direct sun a day; shade dwellers want less). Make sure the basket is well secured; wet soil is heavy and the last thing you want is a wet basket crashing to the ground. Hang your basket where it won’t be buffeted by drying winds. Water daily during hot weather and remove dead flowers as they appear to keep your basket in top form.

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fabulous front entries Welcome guests with flowers and foliage.

Embellish Small Spaces

Make the right impression with your front entry with these colorful ideas.

Draw the Eye Up

If you climb stairs to get to your front door, use tall containers for your eye to follow up. This also helps bridge the empty vertic al gap, adding beauty.

A small porch can put on a grand look with a series of containers that lead the eye up to the door. Color coordinate flower hues with the door color for an easy custom look.

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decorate with Exotic Angel 速 plants Add life to your home with plants. Add Living Color

Top a Table

Bedroom: Ensure

Sweet

Dreams

Be creative and put plants in fun pots. Use a champagne bucket for a colorful croto n. Or use a wicker teacup for a columnea paired with a white-washed bucket to hold a braided Madagascar dragon tree.

Three plants are better than one! Use a tall (red-leafed Ti plant), medium (variegated columnea), and low-growing beauty (dracaena) on your bedside table.

22


ew Relax and Ren

Bathroom: Give Yourself the

Spa Treatment

Dress Up a

Vanity

Take a Plant to Work Da y

Home Office: Work

Smarter

You begin an d end your day at your bathroom va nity. So why not make it beautiful ex a perience w ith a varieg fittonia pair ated ed with a re d agleonem Both plants a? thrive in th e warm hum id air.

Zen-sation a

l!

), light some bble, of course Draw a bath (bu with tropical lf rround yourse candles, and su , spider plants, ns fer , dleleaf fig plants. Here, fid l oasis. make a persona and anthurium Add ferns to bamboo containers and pair with a simple st ack of river stones to cr eate a zenful vignette in your bathro om.

Studies prove that you are more productive and less stressed when the re are plants on your des k. Add easy-care varieties such as Rex begonia and Madagascar dragon tree .

Breathe Easy Did you know that your houseplants do more than just look leafy and gorgeous? The O2 for You collection also cleans the air you breathe! These leafy recyclers remove air pollutants by absorbing them in their leaves. Learn more about how plants cleanse the air in your home at www.costafarms.com

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Ever wish you could have a beautiful garden without digging holes? Beautiful Drop and Grow® plants make that possible! Annual types are flowering when you plant them and continue nonstop until frost. Perennial varieties go dormant at the end of the season, but come back bigger, fuller, and with more flowers next year. Because some perennial Drop and Grow® varieties are evergreen, you can enjoy them all year long!

Sedum Tiles Create a Carpet of Color Drop and Grow® sedum tiles are some of the most fun because they’re grown on special mats. You can just lay them down in your garden or cut the mats into fun shapes between pavers or for DIY projects.

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A

moth orchid can bloom for three months or more! Here are tips for prolonging the flower show.

Shopping Tip:

Look for as many closed buds as possible. The plant with fewer open flowers and more buds will stay in bloom the longest.

1. Orchids Like (Indirect) Light Most orchids are originally from shaded tropical rainforests—and they prefer this kind of light. Orchids love east- or west-facing windows. They can thrive in southfacing sunlight if protected by a curtain that helps to diffuse the light. 2. Orchids Like Warm Temps Orchids like the same temperatures we do: Between 70 and 80 degrees F during the day and between 60 to 70 degrees F at night. 3. Orchids Like a Drink (But not too much!) Let the moss dry out between waterings. The most common way to kill an orchid is to overwater it. Underwatering is safer. Orchids are amazingly tolerant of inconsistent watering; they can survive several weeks without water. 4. Orchids Like a Snack Fertilize your orchid during the spring and summer months. Simply add a generalpurpose houseplant fertilizer to water and pour it on. 5. Orchids Like Humidity Orchids get much of their moisture through the air. Amp up the moisture in your air by setting your orchid on top of a bowl or tray of pebbles in water.

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Look for Costa Farms Plants at Your Favorite Store!

21800 SW 162nd Avenue • Miami, FL 33170 costafarms.com

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800-327-7074

info@costafarms.com


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