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Workshops!

6/4/2016

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I know it been forever since we have had any workshops, but that is what happens when the shop is too busy. The following will be our June workshop schedule of Fairy gardens, Terrariums, and Living wreaths. 

June 9th- Fairy Garden workshop- Create a magical little garden using different plants,mosses, branches, and of course fairies. 6 Spaces available $55 per person, includes all materials

 June 16th-Hanging Terrarium workshop- Using airplants, mosses, branches, bark, etc. to create a little hanging ecosystem- $45 per person includes all materials. . 

June 23rd- Living wreath workshop- Create a living wreath to adorn your door, fence or patio. Based on what lighting you have, using either succulents or small tropical plants. 6 spaces available $65 per person, includes all materials


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Workshop Ideas

1/26/2016

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Hello to all Acanthians ( people who love our store....trying to find a good name to call you all), we are need your input. We want to offer more types of work shops and were wondering what interests you. What would you like to learn to do? 

I have thought of a few classes/workshops/talks that we will be running in the next few months. First is basic vase design, learn how to create a beautiful Vase arrangement, then move onto stage 2 and make something a bit bigger and more intricate. We will still offer The Terrarium classes, but we want to have a few more plant oriented classes as well. We are thinking or Succulent planters and wreaths then a general class on re-potting and pruning basics and care for most types of house plants. 

We want to hear from you, so please leave a comment below and let us know what you think!





​Acanthus Floral proudly serves Almonte, Carleton Place, Clayton, Pakenham,Blakeney, and Lanark county.Specializing In custom design and Interior plants
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Bromeliads ( Not including air plants)

1/9/2016

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​Have I ever mentioned that I LOVE Bromeliads?  Well I do, my love affair with them began when I was about 13/14 and I was with my Dad at a flea market and someone was selling a ton of plants. It was a bright Yellow Guzmania that ended up coming home with me and I kept it going and propagating its little "pup" plants for years. 

These Showy epiphytes normally grow attached to tree branches high up in the rainforest canopy, but adapt well to a the house or sunroom/conservatory ( if you're lucky and if so I'm extremely jealous) and are extremely easy to care for for beginner indoor gardeners and offer some fun propagation projects that are great for everyone. 

The best location is a nice bright room away from really intense direct sun, if you don't have to turn a light on in that room during the day to see then that is the right amount needed. Remember they grow in a canopy so they are used to more diffused light. They also do quite well outdoors in the summer on a nice semi shaded porch. For watering outdoors in the summer, all you need to do is spray them with the hose every few days to keep the moisture and humidity up around them. 

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There should always be water in the centre of the plant inside its " Cup" of leaves, the water here will slowly make its way down into the soil, only water the soil/moss once its quite dry. As seen in the top photo.

Their are 2 distinct different types of blooms on Bromeliads, the tall bract with smaller blooms coming out of it. These are seen on Guzmanias,Vrisea,and Aechmea and Tillandsia ( As shown in the bottom picture)  Once these stalks have finished blooming and have begun to fade/turn brown cut them back to just above where the water sits inside the "cup" 

When the blooms are finished, and even sometimes before, you will see smaller "Pup" plants growing out the base of the bromeliad. ( as seen in the bottom photo) This is the main way to propagate and continue on with your bromeliads, some varieties will only bloom the once on the "Mother" plant while other will continue on and bloom again. Most pups should remain on the mother plant until they are at least 1/2-1/3 the size of the mother plant, however if they are removed earlier the mother plant will continue to produce more pups. 

The best way to remove the pups if with a shape knife cut, if the pups have not developed roots yet they can still be planted in a sterile/soilless mix and will grow roots within a few weeks. To start the pups choose a 3"-4" pot and a nice fluffy potting medium.  Keep the soil a bit moist, but mainly mist the plants leaves to encourage root growth. 
 So Bromeliads can be super easy and very long lasting, Great for the beginner indoor gardener and they can also be a really fun project for those plant lovers to try and propagate and grow ( and share with friends) 
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Pineapples are another type of bromeliad and are really fun to propagate,and delicious so its a win win.
If you happen to see some gorgeous pineapples at the grocer, pick one that has nice healthy looking leaves. Slice the top off the pineapple and removes any flesh, just leaving a nice base for the leaves.. often there will be small roots or little brown bumps ( pre-roots) Leave the cutting out on to dry/callous over, usually just overnight or 1 day. Once its a dry, plant it in a nice soilless mix and give it a good watering. Keep it humid and the soil moist, the roots should begin to grow and take hold after a few weeks. 

Happy growing and propagating

Jamie


Acanthus offers custom floral design and exotic plants in Lanark County, Almonte, Pakenham, Clayton, Blakeney,Carp, and Carleton place. 

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Outdoor Urn (inserts) Class

11/13/2015

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Its that wonderful time of year, time to decorate outdoors for the winter season. We will be holding classes to create beautiful outdoor Urn arrangements ( made in inserts that will fit into your urn at home) 

Pick one day and bring Friends ( classes can hold up to 8 people per night)

November 25th- Start Time 5:30
November 26th -Start Time 6:15
November 27th - Start Time 6:15

Classes are $55 per person, and that includes the materials to make 1 Urn Insert, if you need 2 inserts an additional $45 to make a second urn ( Just the cost of the materials) 

Call or email to sign up, spaces fill up fast, If interested In weekend Nights please inquire we can usually accommodate.



Acanthus Floral proudly Serves Almonte,Pakenham,Clayton,Blakeney, and Lanark and the Ottawa Valley.
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Thanksgiving centrepiece classes

9/18/2015

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Want to impress your holiday guests this thanksgiving? Then why not sign up for one of our evening classes creating a beautiful harvest themed table centre using a hollowed out fresh pumpkin. The dates will be October the 8th  ( starting at 5:30) October the 9th ( starting at 6:15) and October 10th ( starting at 5:30) Choose one day and invite some friends, classes hold up to 9 people. Please call us at 613-461-0113 for more information and to book a place. 




Acanthus Floral Proudly serves Almonte,Pakenham,Clayton,Blakney, Appleton, Lanark, and areas surrounding Mississippi mills. 
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Re-potting orchids. 

8/31/2015

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Its that wonderful time of year when I start to realize just how many plants, specifically Orchids, that I have out in the garden ( Right here in Almonte) and sun-room growing like there is no tomorrow. Now that the nights have begum to get a bit cooler and before all the bugs decide to hide out in the rots, its time for me to start bringing the orchids in and re-potting them. The first thing to do is to get a good orchid bark ( we conveniently sell some in-store, Acanthus Floral) , I use just straight bark as I find moss holds onto water too much and can cause root rot. 
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The first thing to do is to soak the bark in water for about 20 minutes, this prevents dry bark from sucking all the moisture out of the roots once you'v re-potted the plant. 
While the bark is soaking, you can cut off any finished flower stems ( never re-pot an orchid that is in bloom). Make sure to cut the stem right above the node ( little bump) that was closest to where the flowers were. 

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This way if the orchid if happy it may send out a side shoot of blooms where the cut was made.  Next step is to get a slightly bigger ( than what it was in) Terra cotta ( or plastic) pot, make sure it is clean and if its a terra cotta pot I suggest soaking or wetting it before placing the bark in. This will prevent the pot from taking all the moisture out of the bark. Now its time to ( carefully) take the orchid out of its existing pot and to shake off all the old potting medium. 

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If you see any old, mushy, or broken roots use a sharp pair of pruners (or scissors) and remove them. Next drain the water from the bark mixture and place a small amount in the bottom of the new pot. carefully begin to lower the roots into the pot. Once you have about a 1/4 of them in begin to back-fill with bark, then more roots, more bark until they are all nice and cozy in their now home. 

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Now a congratulations Is in order because you have  successfully (hopefully) repotted your orchid and it will be on its way to blooming again. If you do have trouble, or just prefer to keep your hands clean, you can always bring your orchids ( or any plant) into the shop, 14 Mill Street, Almonte,On.,  and we will gladly re-pot it for you.

Acanthus Is a custom florist and plant shop in Almonte, Ontario. Proudly serving Pakemham,Clayton,Blakeney,Carleton place, and all Lanark County. 
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Happy annivesary

8/8/2015

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I can't believe its been one whole year since we have opened, so much has changed and happened in a year. We (and I can say we now that the wonderful Laura has joined the team) are so grateful for all the wonderful support that the town ( Amazing Almonte) and our clients have given us right from the start. 

Last year My partner John and I had just  moved to Almonte, from dowtown Ottawa, about 2 months before opening the store. WE fell In love with the town and all the Friendly residents and Fellow shop owners
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pesky pests

7/5/2015

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If you have as many houseplants as I do, then you have definitely  encountered some creepy crawlies on your plants. Usually the first reaction is to be completely grossed and just want to throw the plant away, which sometimes has to happen. You kind of have to assess the infestation and determine what sort of bug it is, before you can really start the treatment. 
Identifying the different pests is fairly simple if you know what you're looking for, here are a few tips.

Spider mites- The leaves will be sticky, and the undersides will almost look dusty. If its a really bad infestation there will be visible webbing. 
Mealy Bugs- Small white fluffs, looks almost like mini- cotton balls. the leaves will be sticky as well. 
Scale- Small little dark brown bumps on the stems and back of leaves, sticky residue on the stems/leaves. 
Soft scale- yellowish flat buds along the main vein, on underside the leave.
Aphids- little green insects usually on new growth and flower buds. 
White fly- little white winged insects on the back of the leaves. Attracted to many flowering plants.
If your plant still isn't happy and and non of these appear to be on the stems/leaves, I would suggest checking out the roots as well. Root mealy bug can cause yellowing of the leaves and leaf drop, if you take the plant out of its pot and the roots have white fuzz/film all over them you likely have root mealy bug. 

So now that I have scared you and you're out inspecting your plants with a magnifying glass, don't fret I have solutions for you. 
For Mealy,soft scale,aphids,and spider mites I dilute rubbing alcohol in water and mix in a bit of baby oil. The baby oil will coat the bugs and prevents them from breathing, and the alcohol will dry their little bodies out. I use a ratio of 1/3 alcohol, 1/3 oil, and the rest water. Mix it up in a spray bottle and spray the whole plant, including stems, and undersides of the leaves. For root mealy, allow the soil of your plant to dry out completely then using water and some dish soap fill up a bucket/sink and submerge the plants pot in the mix. If your plant is too big for to do that, simple pour the mix in like you were watering it. 
To get the best results repeat this once a week for 4-5 weeks, this way you are able to kill all the insects and any larvae or eggs that may be hatching. Again gross, but necessary to know. Luckily its still summer out and you can do this outdoors ( in a shady area as to not sunburn your houseplants) I don't know how many times John has went to use the shower in the winter and has been greeted by buggy,oily plants. Hopefully this blog post will help save some sick and on the verge of being thrown out plants.


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Fresh Clean air

3/5/2015

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Even though spring is ( hopefully ) right around the corner and finally windows can be open and fresh air brought in, there is still a few months of cold closed up houses. What better way to have fresh air in the inter than having some great " Clean air " plants in your home?  Not only do these plants produce Oxygen they also  will remove some harmful chemicals from the air.

Back in the 80s NASA conducted tests to see which houseplants removed the most harmful chemicals (benzene, formaldehyde and trichloroethylene just to name a few). NASA suggests that efficient air cleaning is accomplished with at least one plant per 100 square feet of home or office space, so by these standards the store has the cleanest air in town!   We have a full stock of these Best performers:
-Areca & Lady Palms
-Boston ferns
-English Ivy
-Liriope Grass
-Chlorphytum (Spider plants)
-Pothos & Philodendrons
-Spathiphyllum ( Peace Lily)
-Aglaeonema ( Chinese Evergreen)
-Savsiervaria ( Snake plants)
-Ficus ( Figs, Rubber)
- Dracaena ( Dragon Tree)
- Phaleanopsis orchids


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Valentines

2/8/2015

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Its that special time of year in a mere 6 days. We have a HUGE selection of roses from classic red, pretty pink,cheerful yellow/orange, and soft lavender. Roses not their thing? Not to worry we have you covered, Gerberas, Lilies, hydrangeas, orchids, Lisianthus, and much much more. 

If you're buying for a plant lover, we have some amazing and rare Orchids plants ( Cymbidium, Brassia, Ontoglossum, and Oncidiums). We also carry a wide selection of Bonsai, Succulents, and other tropicals ( both classic as well as rarer specimens).
 Whatever you're looking for we can help, just send us a message or give us a call! 
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    Jamie Roy - Owner
    Acanthus Floral & Botanical in Almonte, Ontario.

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