Organic Container Gardening – Five Things to Remember

Do you crave a plateful of fresh salad comprising of vegetables grown in your own garden but resent the lack of space to cultivate them? If yes, then you have an option of growing them in containers. Being hard pressed for space a number of organic gardeners are now turning to organic container gardening, which is the next best option for growing healthy vegetables and plants, when you do not have enough land to raise a sprawling garden.

However, one has to bear in mind several important factors if the venture is to be successful.

1. Choosing your containers – However, just dumping some soil and seeds into any vessel in the name of container gardening would not work as this is a serious job and requires special urns for the purpose. While there a number of attractive pots and pans available in the market, be sure to buy only the ones that are hard-wearing.

Prospective gardeners should farm their plants in concrete pots, old barrels or wooden containers as these are durable. Remember, all your urns should have the facility to allow excess water to drain off and should be placed at least an inch above the ground.

2. Select your plants – Having selected your containers, decide which plants you want to grow. You can grow virtually everything, right from flowers to vegetables, anything that your heart desires. It is advisable to put bits of clay pot to facilitate drainage of water, before putting in a layer of soil. Place your plants and add another layer of moist earth (soil).

3. Fertilizer and Irrigation – Organic fertilizer can be added in summers, while it may be omitted in winters. Watering your plants is another important aspect that has to be taken care of. While plants may require irrigation quite often during warm months, they do not need much water during winters.

4. Sunshine – Your plants require a good dose of sunshine to thrive and blossom, hence the gardeners raising container gardens should ensure that their plants get plenty of sunlight. However, fully grown plants can even manage with little sunshine, which makes organic container gardening an easier job for those having gardens inside their rooms.

5. Protect your plants – Your plants need to be protected properly both against pests and inclement weather. Make sure that your plants are well protected from excessive heat and cold if you want them to lend beauty to your surroundings perennially.

Container Gardening Tips for Newbies

Container gardens can create a natural sanctuary in a busy city street, along rooftops or on balconies. You can easily accentuate the welcoming look of a deck or patio with colourful pots of annuals, or fill your window boxes with beautiful shrub roses or any number of small perennials. Whether you arrange your pots in a group for a massed effect or highlight a smaller space with a single specimen, you’ll be delighted with this simple way to create a garden.

Container gardening enables you to easily vary your color scheme, and as each plant finishes flowering, it can be replaced with another. Whether you choose to harmonize or contrast your colors, make sure there is variety in the height of each plant. Think also of the shape and texture of the leaves. Tall strap-like leaves will give a good vertical background to low-growing, wide-leaved plants. Choose plants with a long flowering season, or have others of a different type ready to replace them as they finish blooming.

Experiment with creative containers. You might have an old porcelain bowl or copper urn you can use, or perhaps you’d rather make something really modern with timber or tiles. If you decide to buy your containers ready-made, terracotta pots look wonderful, but tend to absorb water. You don’t want your plants to dry out, so paint the interior of these pots with a special sealer available from hardware stores.
Cheaper plastic pots can also be painted on the outside with water-based paints for good effect. When purchasing pots, don’t forget to buy matching saucers to catch the drips. This will save cement floors getting stained, or timber floors rotting.

Always use a good quality potting mix in your containers. This will ensure the best performance possible from your plants.

If you have steps leading up to your front door, an attractive pot plant on each one will delight your visitors. Indoors, pots of plants or flowers help to create a cosy and welcoming atmosphere.

Decide ahead of time where you want your pots to be positioned, then buy plants that suit the situation. There is no point buying sun lovers for a shady position, for they will not do well. Some plants also have really large roots, so they are best kept for the open garden.

If you have plenty of space at your front door, a group of potted plants off to one side will be more visually appealing than two similar plants placed each side. Unless they are spectacular, they will look rather boring.
Group the pots in odd numbers rather than even, and vary the height and type. To tie the group together, add large rocks that are similar in appearance and just slightly different in size. Three or five pots of the same type and color, but in different sizes also looks affective.

With a creative mind and some determination, you will soon have a container garden that will be the envy of friends and strangers alike.

New Gardeners Guide to Planting a Container Garden

Container gardens give those people who don’t have yards or room for a “regular” garden a way to grow the gardens they crave. Now, they can have a garden on a deck, patio or in a window box or even inside their houses. All types of plants can be grown: vegetables, shrubs, roses, annuals, perennials. The list is endless.

Containers filled with colorful foliage and flowers can really brighten the home, indoors and out. You can have any color scheme that you wish, with colors that harmonize or contrast with your existing home colors. Even just having plant foliage without flowers can liven up a drab house.

When you are choosing plants for your container garden, think about the height of your plants in relation to where you plan to put them. Planting a tall plant or shrub in a window box could block the view from inside a window. Flowering plants should have a long blooming season so that you don’t have to change them out too frequently.

The containers that you choose also make a difference in the feel of the finished garden. You can be creative and use everything from terracotta pots to large dishes to old oaken buckets. You are only limited by your imagination. Pay attention to the material that the pot is made of. Some materials (such as terracotta) may need to be sealed or painted so that they don’t leach all of the water away from the plants.

If purchasing pots for indoors or deck and patio use, you will need to have saucers or plates for them to set on. Otherwise, you will have water and dirt stains on your floors. I have even seen some decks that have rotting wood because of water damage from potted plants.

Never, ever use garden dirt in your plantings. It is essential that you use a high quality potting mix. This will guard against the pests and diseases that you would get from garden soil and will ensure the best possible performance from your plants.

Do you know where you will be locating your plants? Make a plan about where your container garden will be, and then purchase the plants and containers to fit into that area. You also need to determine whether the area is shady or sunny before you purchase your plants. Shade-loving plants will not do well in direct sunlight and vice-versa.

You should also pay attention to the root size of your plants. Those that have a large root system will not be suitable for growing in pots — even if they are large pots.

You may not have much room for plants in the front of your home. However, you can still place a couple of medium-sized flower pots on both sides of the door or front steps. The flowering plants will make a beautiful statement about your home. The plants and flowers don’t need to match exactly. In fact, it’s better if they are of differently varieties. This will give the front of your home more character.

If you are grouping plants in an area, it’s best to group them in odd numbers. You should also vary the height and type of plants. You can unite the dissimilar plants by placing them in similar pots and by adding stones or rocks that are alike in type and color.

By using creativity and common sense you can grow a beautiful garden even if you don’t have the normal outdoor space that a normal outdoor garden requires.

Related Container Gardening Annuals Articles

Growing a Great Container Garden

Nothing beats fresh vegetables out of your own garden. The taste of a freshly picked tomato is pure heaven and digging your own new, red potatoes is so rewarding. But what do you do if you don’t have a large yard or no yard at all? No problem! You can grow a vegetable garden in a container!

Many people think of container gardening as an easy way to grow beautiful flowers and accent patios and porches with color. But have you ever tried adding a few vegetables in with the flowers? Growing vegetables and herbs in containers is just as easy as growing flowers and you get delicious results! You can mix a cherry tomato plant in with a pot of marigolds and snapdragons. The bright red fruit is a beautiful addition to the colorful blooms. Put a couple of red potato starts in a large planter with a few flowers, the foliage of potato plants is very beautiful and you will also have a few tiny white flowers as well.
H
ow about dedicating a few planters to just produce? Strawberries often produce more fruit when planted in a container because they don’t have much room to spread. Strawberry plants spread by sending out runners that root down and start a new plant. Once the strawberries run out of room to send out shoots, they put all their energy into producing fruit.  How delicious to have fresh strawberries just outside your door!

Here are a few tips to keep in mind when planning a container garden.  

Properly prepare your pot. Your pot will need good drainage so make sure it has drainage holes drilled in the bottom. If your pot does not have drainage holes, either drill holes or create a drainage area by adding a layer of gravel at the bottom. If you have a very large pot, you can create a drainage area and eliminate the need for large quantities of soil by adding a layer of styrofoam at the bottom.  This will also make the pot easier to move around. Just remember to add enough soil for the plants to have a good root system.

Don’t use garden soil. The soil in your yard is generally too heavy for container use. A container gardening needs light soil that is rich in organic material for proper drainage.  Mix regular potting soil with compost and peat moss to get a healthy soil that is perfect for containers.  It is a good idea to mix in time release fertilizer while you are mixing the soil. Most time release fertilizers last about three months so plan to add more at that time.

When you are transplanting new plants, dig the hole about twice as large as the plants root ball.  Then back fill the hole with some loose soil, this will give the tender roots soft soil to anchor in. Before you place the plant in the hole, massage the roots to break them up slightly. The plant roots have been confined to a small area while they are getting their start, however they need to break free and they need a little help from you to do that.

Give your plants a healthy start by using a root starting fertilizer as you are planting. Mix the liquid fertilizer with water and add it as you plant each new plant to your container.  Root starting fertilizers contain the proper nutrients that help to prevent transplant shock.  

Trim the plant after you plant it. This is a difficult thing for most gardeners to do. After all you just bought a beautiful, full plant at the store! You need to remember that the plant needs to put effort into building a strong root system. This is difficult if the plant is trying to maintain full blooms or large amounts of foliage as well.  A good rule of thumb is to cut off the plant by two thirds. Don’t worry, your plant will grow back fuller and healthier than before.

Combine plants with similar requirements. If a plant requires full sun, don’t pair it up with a plant that does best in partial shade. Careful planning will yield the best results in container gardening.  

Containers are a great way to have fresh produce all summer long. Growing your own fresh produce is rewarding and allows you to provide healthy food for your family. Give container gardening a try, you will love the results!

What Everyone Is Saying About Container Vegetable Gardening Is Dead Wrong And Why

There are many pains to regular vegetable gardening, including the weeds that pop up in regular gardens, and the insects that are prone to bothering you in these gardens as well. There is a great way to get bigger and better vegetables, as well as have better control over your crop. Doing container vegetable gardening allows you to have more control and get rid of some of the pests.

What Is It

Container vegetable gardening is gardening that is done in containers. You will fill them with soil and then plant your vegetables in them. This way, you can keep the container near to your house, and keep better control over it. You can also help to make sure that the vegetables turn out just right with container vegetable gardening.

How To Do It

When you are going to embark on container vegetable gardening, you first need to choose your containers and your vegetables very carefully. Look at the packets for seeds or the information that comes with the other plants, and see what type of soil depth the plants need to grow correctly. Then, you will be sure to be able to have the right depth for your buckets or containers. Choose containers that are big enough for each plant – not as they are when they are very small, but as they will be.

Fill the containers to use for container vegetable gardening with soil that is made for vegetables, and then plant the seeds or the plants in the same way that you would plant them in the ground. Be sure to use stakes if the plants need them. Also, be sure that there is a way for water to run out of the bottom of the container, as this is more like the way water will drain from soil.

Next, put the planted container vegetable gardening containers in a place where you will be able to access them each day. Be sure to play attention to the vegetables and see which of them need full sun and which of them need partial shade. Also, be sure to water them as often as you need to, according to the directions that came with the seeds or the plants. It is very important that you follow the exact same guidelines that you would follow if you were planting these in your yard or in your regular garden.

Remember, doing container vegetable gardening might mean that you still get some weeds. You will also have to worry about insects that come near to your garden. So, always be vigilant when you are doing container vegetable gardening.

Container Gardening-Ornamental Grasses

Ornamental Grasses can add a beautiful arrangement to your container garden. These grasses have fine leaves that blow in the smallest of winds and will certainly add an extra aesthetic flavor to your garden. These grasses come in many wonderful textures and colors. Some of these great colors are red, purple, tan, pink and white. With very little research, you are sure to find the right grass that will fit will into your container garden arrangement.

Ornamental grasses will bloom in midsummer. They can grow anywhere from 1′ to 9′ tall, depending on the variety. These ornamental grasses are also great for lining in front of fenses or creating walls.

Full sunlight and excellent water drainage is the perfect setting for these ornamental grasses. They will not thrive very well in shaded areas. These grasses are very easy to take care of, with very low maintenance. They are great for cut flowers. They have beautiful and unusual foilage and can last throughout the year. You will need to apply a layer of compost every spring and put a layer of mulch, about two inches over this. This will control the weeds and help to retain moister. If it rains less than 1 inch per week during the summer months, you will also need to water the ornamental grasses. At the end of every winter, it is a good idea to cut back the plant to stimulate new growth for the summer. If you have Fountain Grass, you may need to stake it every 3-4 years. Some of the other varieties will require you to divide it every 3-4 years. This will encourage new growth.

When planting the ornamental grasses in your container garden, you will need to plant them about 1 to 3 fee apart. This will depend on the variety of your ornamental grass. First till your soil, about 10 inches deep, then add a 4 inch layer of compost. When planting, make sure the top of the root ball is even with the surface of your soil. After filling in the hole, water completely. Soon, your ornamental grasses will begin to grow, adding a wonderful quality to your container garden.

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Learn How to Care for a Container Garden

Now that you have planted your flowers, foliage, or vegetables in their containers, you need to know how to care for them. Just like your outside garden, container gardens require nurturing to keep the plants productive and healthy.

One of the challenges of container gardening is the fact that a pot is an unnatural place for flowers and vegetables to grow. Soil dries out faster and roots can become cramped.

Also, the containers themselves are prone to drainage and decay problems. In addition, they need to be tended more often because they are so visible on your patio or deck. Plants that are not maintained properly can get pretty ugly.

On the plus side, many containers can be moved easily, allowing you to protect plants in poor weather and to move them into sun or shade as necessary.

Also, because they are well contained, managing the container plants is not an overwhelming task, nor does it require a great deal of time. If a plant should die, it’s a simple matter to replace it.

Here are a few things to think about when caring for your container garden:

Watering

Watering is one of the most important aspects of plant care. Without water, plants will not live produce flowers, vegetables or herbs. In an outside garden, plants can extend their roots to find the moisture they need when the soil next to them runs dry. This is not possible, however, in containers.

For this reason, any plant in a pot requires more regular watering than one planted in an outside garden the general rule for almost all plant varieties, whether inside or outside, is to keep the soil moist but not soggy during the growing season.

If your plant has wilted leaves or flowers, it is probably stressed from lack of water. A container with a dry plant will weigh less than anyone that is properly watered.

Fertilizing

When a container plant runs out of food, it has nowhere to go to replenish it. Even if you buy potting mixes that contain nutrients, the plant will use them up within a month or so. Some of it is taken up by the roots and some is lost through drainage.

The solution is to mix in some fertilizer twice a month with your watering, or to periodically add compost as a top dressing. The nutrient most necessary to plants is nitrogen. it helps the development of leaves and its growth.

Nitrogen deficiency shows itself by turning the leaves a pale shade of green or yellow. Too much nitrogen can delay a plant’s bloom or crop.

The other nutrients that plants need are potassium, for hardiness and color, and phosphorus, for root formation. Nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus are available in complete fertilizer form or as separate ingredients that you can mix yourself.

When you apply fertilizer, make sure that the soil is moist by watering beforehand. This will help to prevent chemical burns.

Pruning

Most plants will require some pruning, especially those grown in containers. Some people may be afraid to prune their plants for fear of killing them. However, if a mistake is made in pruning, it will not usually kill the plant.

Pruning includes the removal of dead or dying stems or branches so that the strongest can survive. Sometimes, trimming also means clipping flowers, normally only toward the end of their bloom. This is called deadheading.

Controlling Pests

Pests are just as apt to visit container gardens as an outside garden. It is fortunate that pests are easier to control on plants that are planted in pots.

The key to pest control starts with the plans that you select and the soil that you use. Some plants have a natural resistance to pests.

Do not use soil that has been used before unless it has been sterilized. Better yet, purchase new soil for new plantings.

Inspect plants periodically to check for bugs and larvae. Sometimes all you need to do is pick them off your plant leaves. Other times, they will require chemical or natural insecticides.

Diseases

Usually by the time you know that a plant is diseased, too much damage has been done to it to save it. These plants should be quarantined or removed. Signs of disease include rust colored leaves or spots on the plants.

Container gardens are less likely to become diseased than those plants that are planted in a regular garden. And, if they should become diseased, it is easier to isolate them from the rest of the garden.

Caring for your container garden is not a difficult task if you use common sense. The main thing to remember is that container gardens will dry out much faster than a regular garden. That is the most common reason that plants do not grow or produce as expected.

Growing a Great Container Garden

Nothing beats fresh vegetables out of your own garden. The taste of a freshly picked tomato is pure heaven and digging your own new, red potatoes is so rewarding. But what do you do if you don’t have a large yard or no yard at all? No problem! You can grow a vegetable garden in a container!

Many people think of container gardening as an easy way to grow beautiful flowers and accent patios and porches with color. But have you ever tried adding a few vegetables in with the flowers? Growing vegetables and herbs in containers is just as easy as growing flowers and you get delicious results! You can mix a cherry tomato plant in with a pot of marigolds and snapdragons. The bright red fruit is a beautiful addition to the colorful blooms. Put a couple of red potato starts in a large planter with a few flowers, the foliage of potato plants is very beautiful and you will also have a few tiny white flowers as well.
H
ow about dedicating a few planters to just produce? Strawberries often produce more fruit when planted in a container because they don’t have much room to spread. Strawberry plants spread by sending out runners that root down and start a new plant. Once the strawberries run out of room to send out shoots, they put all their energy into producing fruit.  How delicious to have fresh strawberries just outside your door!

Here are a few tips to keep in mind when planning a container garden.  

Properly prepare your pot. Your pot will need good drainage so make sure it has drainage holes drilled in the bottom. If your pot does not have drainage holes, either drill holes or create a drainage area by adding a layer of gravel at the bottom. If you have a very large pot, you can create a drainage area and eliminate the need for large quantities of soil by adding a layer of styrofoam at the bottom.  This will also make the pot easier to move around. Just remember to add enough soil for the plants to have a good root system.

Don’t use garden soil. The soil in your yard is generally too heavy for container use. A container gardening needs light soil that is rich in organic material for proper drainage.  Mix regular potting soil with compost and peat moss to get a healthy soil that is perfect for containers.  It is a good idea to mix in time release fertilizer while you are mixing the soil. Most time release fertilizers last about three months so plan to add more at that time.

When you are transplanting new plants, dig the hole about twice as large as the plants root ball.  Then back fill the hole with some loose soil, this will give the tender roots soft soil to anchor in. Before you place the plant in the hole, massage the roots to break them up slightly. The plant roots have been confined to a small area while they are getting their start, however they need to break free and they need a little help from you to do that.

Give your plants a healthy start by using a root starting fertilizer as you are planting. Mix the liquid fertilizer with water and add it as you plant each new plant to your container.  Root starting fertilizers contain the proper nutrients that help to prevent transplant shock.  

Trim the plant after you plant it. This is a difficult thing for most gardeners to do. After all you just bought a beautiful, full plant at the store! You need to remember that the plant needs to put effort into building a strong root system. This is difficult if the plant is trying to maintain full blooms or large amounts of foliage as well.  A good rule of thumb is to cut off the plant by two thirds. Don’t worry, your plant will grow back fuller and healthier than before.

Combine plants with similar requirements. If a plant requires full sun, don’t pair it up with a plant that does best in partial shade. Careful planning will yield the best results in container gardening.  

Containers are a great way to have fresh produce all summer long. Growing your own fresh produce is rewarding and allows you to provide healthy food for your family. Give container gardening a try, you will love the results!

More Container Gardening Soil Articles

Growing a Great Container Garden

Nothing beats fresh vegetables out of your own garden. The taste of a freshly picked tomato is pure heaven and digging your own new, red potatoes is so rewarding. But what do you do if you don’t have a large yard or no yard at all? No problem! You can grow a vegetable garden in a container!

Many people think of container gardening as an easy way to grow beautiful flowers and accent patios and porches with color. But have you ever tried adding a few vegetables in with the flowers? Growing vegetables and herbs in containers is just as easy as growing flowers and you get delicious results! You can mix a cherry tomato plant in with a pot of marigolds and snapdragons. The bright red fruit is a beautiful addition to the colorful blooms. Put a couple of red potato starts in a large planter with a few flowers, the foliage of potato plants is very beautiful and you will also have a few tiny white flowers as well.
H
ow about dedicating a few planters to just produce? Strawberries often produce more fruit when planted in a container because they don’t have much room to spread. Strawberry plants spread by sending out runners that root down and start a new plant. Once the strawberries run out of room to send out shoots, they put all their energy into producing fruit.  How delicious to have fresh strawberries just outside your door!

Here are a few tips to keep in mind when planning a container garden.  

Properly prepare your pot. Your pot will need good drainage so make sure it has drainage holes drilled in the bottom. If your pot does not have drainage holes, either drill holes or create a drainage area by adding a layer of gravel at the bottom. If you have a very large pot, you can create a drainage area and eliminate the need for large quantities of soil by adding a layer of styrofoam at the bottom.  This will also make the pot easier to move around. Just remember to add enough soil for the plants to have a good root system.

Don’t use garden soil. The soil in your yard is generally too heavy for container use. A container gardening needs light soil that is rich in organic material for proper drainage.  Mix regular potting soil with compost and peat moss to get a healthy soil that is perfect for containers.  It is a good idea to mix in time release fertilizer while you are mixing the soil. Most time release fertilizers last about three months so plan to add more at that time.

When you are transplanting new plants, dig the hole about twice as large as the plants root ball.  Then back fill the hole with some loose soil, this will give the tender roots soft soil to anchor in. Before you place the plant in the hole, massage the roots to break them up slightly. The plant roots have been confined to a small area while they are getting their start, however they need to break free and they need a little help from you to do that.

Give your plants a healthy start by using a root starting fertilizer as you are planting. Mix the liquid fertilizer with water and add it as you plant each new plant to your container.  Root starting fertilizers contain the proper nutrients that help to prevent transplant shock.  

Trim the plant after you plant it. This is a difficult thing for most gardeners to do. After all you just bought a beautiful, full plant at the store! You need to remember that the plant needs to put effort into building a strong root system. This is difficult if the plant is trying to maintain full blooms or large amounts of foliage as well.  A good rule of thumb is to cut off the plant by two thirds. Don’t worry, your plant will grow back fuller and healthier than before.

Combine plants with similar requirements. If a plant requires full sun, don’t pair it up with a plant that does best in partial shade. Careful planning will yield the best results in container gardening.  

Containers are a great way to have fresh produce all summer long. Growing your own fresh produce is rewarding and allows you to provide healthy food for your family. Give container gardening a try, you will love the results!

Related Container Gardening Soil Articles

Theme Container Gardens for the Deck and Patio

Creating your own container garden can be so much fun, especially if you think of using themes.  Consider showing off your style with a small kitchen garden, or create an outdoor pot designed to attract hummingbirds or to welcome butterflies.  Our beings are drawn to beautiful scents, what about a container giving off wonderful fragrances.

Culinary containers or kitchen gardens are especially handy as a source of herbs, leafy lettuce or parsley, or even edible flowers.  You may wish to combine many edibles to create your own miniature garden at the door.  Combining edibles with your flowering or ornamental plants can be so attractive – imagine Beefsteak Tomatoes surrounded by basil or oregano.  For foliage color, use green and purple leaved basils, leaf lettuce and Swiss chard.  Parsley is especially great, goes anywhere, and adds attractive texture and rich green color to any container combination. Nasturtiums are grown for their showy, spurred flowers and trailing ones are sensational in your planters – they are edible and give a finished look to the container.

Herbs that work wonderfully well in culinary containers are chives, lemon balm, rosemary, different sages and oregano.  Lemongrass is wonderful in soups and adds a nice vertical accent to any planter or outdoor pot.

And then of course there are those peppers, both colorful and hot.  Cherry tomatoes should not be forgotten, they look pretty in your arrangements and the spectacular patio tomatoes are there for the picking.  Don’t forget arugula and of course golden thyme for another theme.

The best place to use your fragrant plants is in garden pots on your deck or patio.  This is where we can enjoy their lovely scents when relaxing in the evening.  Mix scented plants with foliage or flowers and see what you can come up with.  Some plants, such as heliotrope, can be enjoyed once they begin to bloom and for the rest of the summer.  Lilies that have been forced in your pots can be moved to the garden after they bloom.  Others such as tuberoses may have to be moved indoors before frost and then brought out again next year.  Dahlias and of course geraniums make a great show and a delightful addition to your container gardens.

Hummingbirds will arrive right on your deck or patio if you give them the proper encouragement.  Along with your hummingbird feeder, some of the best container plants to attract them are annual sages.  They come in so many colors from bright red to shades of mauve and purpose to creamy white and pink.  Try out one or more of them in your garden pots. You may also use Nicotiana plant, petunias and dwarf dahlias too.

To keep all of our container plants going all summer, deadhead regularly and of course water and feed on a timely basis.  When plants become scrawny or leggy, just cut them back hard in mid-summer and then they will produce more new flowers and foliage within a few weeks.  Your containers will be beautiful right into the cool Fall weather.

In summary, create theme container combinations.  They can be ones either for the kitchen, to give off wonderful fragrances and of course to attract hummingbirds and butterflies.