Plant Tissue Culture PPT

Alpine plants are a lovely group of plants to grow. Because of their natural habitat which is at high altitudes with often extreme temperatures, they are normally small and extremely hardy. Mat or clump forming, they provide miniature splashes of colour to a garden. They require very free-draining soil with protection from wet winter weather, so growing them in stone walls or a rock garden is a ideal way of replicating their natural habitat and showing them off to their full potential.

A good rock garden should be south facing and have extremely dry soil. Constructing it on a slope is a good idea as it help excess moisture drain away and also shows off the plants well. Use a mixture of different size rocks. It might be worth drawing a plan of where you are going to place them first to make sure you are happy with the design. Bury each rock to around a third of its size and tip them backwards to help the water run off. Alpine plants can be planted at any time of year, but avoid planting during a frost, when the soil is very wet or during extremely warm weather. Once you have bought a collection of alpines, check each label to see which plant prefers sun or partial shade, plant sizes and which are fast and slow growers. It is also a good idea to position your plants in their pots before planting to make sure you are happy with the display. Plant each plant deep enough to accommodate the roots, water well and top dress with gravel. Keep the plants well watered until they begin to show signs of growth. Be watchful for birds when you first plant your alpines as they love eating them!

Popular alpines for rockeries include alyssum, aubretia, erigeron, geranium, dianthus, cyclamen, creeping phlox, thyme and sempervivums. Alpine plants also look great when grown in pots. Choose shallow pots and put a layer of grit or crocks on the bottom to help with drainage. Fill with gritty compost. Once the plant is in place add a thin layer of grit to top-dress the pot and water well. Alpines look best in clay garden planters as they have a more rustic authentic look to them than plastic or other man made materials. These potted displays of alpines can be used as stand alone focal points, grouped together for stunning impact or even added to your rockery as little extra structural points of focus.

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