Rose Moss is Simple and Probably Perfect for Your Garden

Rose Moss (aka as Moss Rose) is the perfect flowering plant for those new to gardening. Photo: Zahra Ali

If you are new to gardening, find it difficult to work in the garden under the summer sun or simply appreciate nature’s most simple plants, Rose Moss is exactly what you should be growing.
Rose Moss (Portulaca Grandiflora, 11 o’clock, or Moss Rose) is an edible weed that comes in many shades and colours. The plant grows about six inches tall and spreads two feet wide. It will grow in poor and sandy soil and will not only grow well in hot summers but will also produce overflowing mini roses from morning to evening for the rest of the year.

Rose Moss looks brilliant in hanging baskets, rock gardens, as ground cover or a border, and even in a container.

Rose Moss looks brilliant in hanging baskets, rock gardens, and as ground cover. Photo: Zahra Ali

Starting a Plant
You can cultivate Rose Moss both by sowing seeds or taking cuttings from an adult plant.
Buy seeds from a horticulture store or borrow them from a friend’s garden. Mix the seeds with a little sand and spread it all around the patch or the pot in which you want to grow your plants. Lightly cover with soil, and water with a soft shower. Make sure you have selected a place that gets full sun during the day. You can also start your plant by taking a two-inch cutting from an adult plant and simply planting it back in the soil.
Grow Rose Moss this season and share the seeds, cuttings or plants with your friends.

Tip: Rose Moss reseeds itself. Deadhead flowers (trim the spent flowers) before it seeds if you do not want the weed to get out of control.

Published at Newsline Magazine on 28th June, 2011

And the winners are....

Thanks to all the participants who showed interest in receiving free seeds from Crops in Pots. Here are the first 10 participants who will receive their set of vegetable seeds.

1.Afia Salam
2. Shabih Haider

3. Shamim Rawjani
4. Rabia Shah
5. Faraz Farooq
6. Adnan Khan
7. Uzma Awan
8. Maniya
9. Munira Zoomkawala
10. Zain Jafry

Congratulations! We hope that you will share your experience with us. Here are few links that you might find useful if you are new to growing vegetables.

Grow your vegetables at home
Grow your own food the ancient way

Happy Gardening :)

Free vegetable seeds from Crops in Pots

To celebrate World Environment Day Crops in Pots is sharing vegetable seeds with its readers to spread organic farming in cities. You can request your set of free seeds by sending your postal address to crops.in.pots@gmail.com before Wednesday 8th June,2011.

First 10 participants will receive their set of Cucumber Beit Alpha, Eggplant Black King, Tomato Roma, Green Chillies and Okra in the coming week.

Currently, this offer is for residents of Karachi only. But keep coming back as we are bringing a wide range of seeds for you soon.

We would love to see your photos from the kitchen garden you grow from the same seeds :)

Happy Gardening !

Zahra


image credit : Mehlum Sadriwala Studios