Monday, December 12, 2016

The Benefits Of Growing Cycads

By Nancy Phillips


Gardens provide a sanctuary for people to relax and spend quality time. However, it is not easy to have a good garden unless one puts in a lot of effort, and that is why many would not bother to have one. Studies have shown that there are some plants that can be planted in the garden that require low maintenance, and Growing Cycads would be the way to go.

The fact that maintaining a garden is not an easy task makes people miss out on the benefits. That is why more and more people are including cycads in their gardens and homes, as they are very low maintenance. One just has to make sure that the cycads are planted in the right soil type as loose soils would not be able to hold them up, and soil with too much water will decay the roots of the plants.

They usually have delicate roots that may get destroyed very easily, meaning that one should prepare the land for planting early in advance so that once they get placed in the soil they are not disturbed. They do not need much water to maintain them hence watering should be done few times a week in the hot seasons and at least once a week in the colder seasons.

Before purchasing them, everybody should understand that as plants they have various species and all the different species have specific characteristics and specific growth conditions. Planting a species in the wrong conditions will kill the plant so it is important to be knowledgeable to ensure that it grows well and can serve its intended purpose.

Apart from decorative purposes, some of the species may be consumed as food. As only some of them are edible, it is important to know which ones they are so that accidents like poisoning can be avoided. Most of them are used to make food for fowls so farmers who have chicken in their farms can plant them for their birds.

Another use of these plants is that they can be used for medical reasons. The bark and some of the leaves may be taken through special processes to make medicine. The oils that are extracted from the seeds make oils that help in addressing skin problems. Sometimes, their large leaves can be harvested and dried also under special steps to make decorative pieces that have been known to fetch a handsome price in some areas where they are in high demand.

The leaves of some species have special fibers on them that are great for making mattresses and even material for making clothes. The fibers are also soft enough to be used in pillows, because they do not have side effects. Amenities like shopping baskets and fiber hats can be made from the leaves and they last long because of the toughness of the material.

Aside from all the benefits humans stand to enjoy from these plants, they also help in making the soil better by supplying it with nitrogen, which is important for the growth of plants. Their big strong stems can be used as construction material. These are plants that are facing extinction so in order to save them more should be grown.




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