Hello again,
Good gardening friend Paul Parent of the Paul Parent Garden Club sends out a great newsletter every week with pertinent gardening topics. I encourage you to go to his website to sign up for his newsletter. Paul can also be heard every Sunday morning from 6 AM to 10 AM at his website or at WBACH (104.7 FM) every Sunday morning from 6 AM to 9 AM. Paul recently sent this article out called "January Indoor Garden Chores" (I occasionally add a few comments in italics) and here it is:
"Let's begin by checking our house plants for hitchhikers. Such insects as aphids, whitefly, mealy bug, scale, and spider mites will begin to multiply with the increase of the length of the day and the heat from the house now.
Look on the tip of the plant first, as insects love new growth to feed on rather than the tough older growth .Insects on the new growth will be easy to spot, as they will make the new growth twist and become misshapen. Now, aphids are the most common problem and their skin color will be the same as the plant--great camouflage ability. You may also find them all clustered together on the tip, especially flowering plants like hibiscus and gardenias.
If plants are on a table, feel the table for a sticky feeling on the surface, or large houseplants will have a sticky floor under the plant. If you find this, clean the surface quickly or the sticky substance on the surface called "honeydew" will grow a black sooty mold that can stain carpeting and hurt wood floors. If this is the case, look on the stems of the plant for small bumps on the stem; these are scale insects, and you can usually rub them off with a soft soapy wet cloth.
If you should notice a type of webbing on the top of the plant you have spider mites. This is the toughest insect to control, so be sure to check other plants near it for possible infection. Any plant with mites should be quarantined from your other plants! Now, wash the plant with warm soapy water and soft cloth to remove webbing and as many adults as possible from the plant. I really recommend Bonide's Systemic Houseplant Granules to sprinkle on top of your plant's soil. This product is easy to apply--no spraying and works very thoroughly!
If you brush against the plant and small white flies fly from the underside of the foliage, you have white fly, an insect that can fly from plant to plant and room to room to slowly destroy your plant collection. If the day is nice, take the plant outside or in the garage briefly and try to knock off as many of the flying insects as possible. Anything that comes off will die from the cold and will not be able to continue to lay eggs on your other plants. For the whitefly Skillin's offers yellow sticky traps which are very effective against whitefly.
If you see what looks like pieces of cotton on the leaves or stems of the plant, you have an insect called mealy bug. This insect is not as common, but thrives where plants are clustered together or when you mist plants often to increase humidity around plants. If you see some on top of the plant look under the leaves and usually they will be covered. Wash off as many as possible with a soft, wet, and soapy cloth. I think mealybug needs a thorough dose of the Systemic Granules I discussed above followed up by a thorough spraying of All Seasons Spray Oil described below!
There is one more I forgot to mention and this one can be a real problem also. This insect is called a fungus gnat and resembles a small fruit fly, like the ones that come when you keep bananas too long on your kitchen counter. I have had great success controlling soil gnats with the Bonide Systemic Granules we describe above!
After you have washed the plant with soapy water, spray all plants with Bonide All Season Oil. All Season Oil can safely be used on herbs as well as all other house plants in your home. I love All Season Oil because there are no toxic fumes for you to breath with all the windows closed at this time of the year. This oil spray is better that all the other indoor sprays on the market today because it will kill the adults, young and eggs of the insect at the same time. Most other houseplant sprays only kill the adults; some kill the young but this product also kills the eggs of the insects before they get a chance to hatch and create new problems later.
Insects are killed by suffocation as the oil plugs up all the insect's pores and they cannot breathe--there are no chemicals in this plant spray. Because the insects are suffocated, the insects cannot build up immunity to the product like they can to chemical poisons.
The oil spray will also shine up your foliage, making your plants look bright and clean. When you apply the All Season Oil spray, apply to the underside of the foliage first and the stems of the plant. Be sure to turn the plant upside down for the best coverage as insects are more numerous on the underside of foliage and in the crotches of the leaves and stems. Spray the top of the foliage last and repeat in seven days. When spraying herbs, rinse foliage with warm water before eating and the product will wash off easily. Sunshine will destroy the oil product in just 7 to 10 days, but the bugs are now dead. It's time for a quick battle now to avoid war later. Don't wait--check your plants today!"
Showing posts with label indoor gardening. Show all posts
Showing posts with label indoor gardening. Show all posts
Monday, January 24, 2011
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Keeping Houseplants Healthy in Winter
Hello again,
Good gardening friend Paul Parent of the Paul Parent Garden Club (http://www.paulparent.com/) sends out a great newsletter every week with pertinent gardening topics. I encourage you to go to his website to sign up for his newsletter. Paul can also be heard every Sunday morning from 6 AM to 10 AM at his website or at WBACH (104.7 FM) every Sunday morning from 6 AM to 9 AM. Paul recently sent this article out called "Keeping Houseplants Healthy in Winter" (I occasionally add a few comments in italics) and here it is:
Keeping your houseplants healthy during winter months may seem difficult. Light from windows is reduced, days are shorter and humidity may be lower due to heating. But by making a few changes, you can help keep your houseplants healthy.
In winter, your plants receive sunlight for less time and in less intensity. Houseplants native to rainforests that are used to lower light will be fine with that, but most plants need more light. Try to move your plants near a brighter window (S/SW exposure) to get them more sunlight.
If you have no brighter windows (due to shade trees or apartment living), you might want to consider the purchase of plant lamps that are designed to provide the full spectrum light your plants need. They can be mounted under shelves, over plants or on specially-designed plant stands. Leave them on about eight hours a day, and they'll give your plants the light they need. Consider using the newer LED lamps. They are a bit more expensive, but they use less energy and are more efficient for producing the part of the spectrum that is needed by plants. In short, you aren't wasting your energy (and money) producing excess heat or light in spectra that your plants don't need.
Most plants do not do well when subjected to rapid fluctuations in temperature. Keep them away from hot air sources and cold drafts alike. Run ceiling fans on low if the house is closed up. Fans break up stagnant air; that's healthier for both you and your plants.
Some symptoms of low humidity are brown leaf tips and wilting. Low humidity makes your plants work harder to get moisture from the air and soil, as well as keep what they have inside.
One way to give your plants some extra humidity is to put a layer of pebbles in the bottom of a tray and fill the tray with just enough water to cover the bottom of the tray (below the top of the pebbles). Place potted plants in the tray. (Refill the pebbles with water as needed)
Fertilizing should be done less often for most plants in winter. (I often recommend all natural "Dynamite" fertilizer granules that you can put down every 3 months of the year. This gives your plant a gentle dose of all natural nutrients--great for your soil!)
Give your plants a good washing. Dirt, dust, grease, and other particles can settle on leaves. Dirty leaves can't absorb as much sunlight as clean ones. Gently wipe clean the leaves with a soft sponge or cloth dipped in plain tepid water. Sturdier plants can even be given a quick shower in the bathroom with tepid water. (This is awesome advice. Even in the best of homes our plants get dusty and mites and other insects LOVE to make their homes in that dust. Give the "bad bugs" less of a chance!)
Good gardening friend Paul Parent of the Paul Parent Garden Club (http://www.paulparent.com/) sends out a great newsletter every week with pertinent gardening topics. I encourage you to go to his website to sign up for his newsletter. Paul can also be heard every Sunday morning from 6 AM to 10 AM at his website or at WBACH (104.7 FM) every Sunday morning from 6 AM to 9 AM. Paul recently sent this article out called "Keeping Houseplants Healthy in Winter" (I occasionally add a few comments in italics) and here it is:
Keeping your houseplants healthy during winter months may seem difficult. Light from windows is reduced, days are shorter and humidity may be lower due to heating. But by making a few changes, you can help keep your houseplants healthy.
Keeping things light
In winter, your plants receive sunlight for less time and in less intensity. Houseplants native to rainforests that are used to lower light will be fine with that, but most plants need more light. Try to move your plants near a brighter window (S/SW exposure) to get them more sunlight.
If you have no brighter windows (due to shade trees or apartment living), you might want to consider the purchase of plant lamps that are designed to provide the full spectrum light your plants need. They can be mounted under shelves, over plants or on specially-designed plant stands. Leave them on about eight hours a day, and they'll give your plants the light they need. Consider using the newer LED lamps. They are a bit more expensive, but they use less energy and are more efficient for producing the part of the spectrum that is needed by plants. In short, you aren't wasting your energy (and money) producing excess heat or light in spectra that your plants don't need.
Temperature
Most plants do not do well when subjected to rapid fluctuations in temperature. Keep them away from hot air sources and cold drafts alike. Run ceiling fans on low if the house is closed up. Fans break up stagnant air; that's healthier for both you and your plants.
Humidity
Some symptoms of low humidity are brown leaf tips and wilting. Low humidity makes your plants work harder to get moisture from the air and soil, as well as keep what they have inside.
One way to give your plants some extra humidity is to put a layer of pebbles in the bottom of a tray and fill the tray with just enough water to cover the bottom of the tray (below the top of the pebbles). Place potted plants in the tray. (Refill the pebbles with water as needed)
Other Tips
Fertilizing should be done less often for most plants in winter. (I often recommend all natural "Dynamite" fertilizer granules that you can put down every 3 months of the year. This gives your plant a gentle dose of all natural nutrients--great for your soil!)
Give your plants a good washing. Dirt, dust, grease, and other particles can settle on leaves. Dirty leaves can't absorb as much sunlight as clean ones. Gently wipe clean the leaves with a soft sponge or cloth dipped in plain tepid water. Sturdier plants can even be given a quick shower in the bathroom with tepid water. (This is awesome advice. Even in the best of homes our plants get dusty and mites and other insects LOVE to make their homes in that dust. Give the "bad bugs" less of a chance!)
Get Growing Indoors
Hello again,
Our friends at Botanical Interests Seed Company, a family owned business based in Colorado, frequently pass along some great gardening advice.
The following article tells how and why we should get growing certain crops NOW in our indoor gardens so as to have some timely harvests of fresh, natural food earlier than usual in Skillin's Country. Before I go any further I need to point out that we will be having a class on this very topic on Feb 5 here at Skillin's. The class is called Indoor Gardening and more details can be found HERE. The intent of the class is to show how to grow edibles indoors. Many of our Skillin's staff people are doing this. They are loving the results but also finding that their "gardening desires"--normally largely on hold this time of year--are being better met by growing herbs, greens and other vegetables.
I need to attend this class as I have not yet endeavored to grow and food crops indoors. It does sound very rewarding.
Here is what the folks at Botanical Interests have to say:
As soon as the calendar rolls over to a new year, gardeners start dreaming of spring planting. While winter may have you in its chilly grip outside, you can still nourish your green thumb indoors, because there's plenty you can do inside now to get ready for your 2011 garden.
Vegetable and herb varieties to start early include those that are slow growers, biennial or perennial, or cold tolerant. You might also consider starting more varieties indoors if you need to get a head start on a very short growing season.
If your mouth waters at the mention of succulent homegrown celery, remember that it needs a good 12-16 week growing period indoors before your average last frost date. And, don't think artichokes can only be grown by those lucky southern California gardeners! If you start them indoors, 12 weeks before your average last frost date, you can get chokes the first year in many parts of the country. For salad lovers, don't forget that endive and escarole should be started 10-12 weeks before your average last frost if you want to grow them to mature size. Eggplant, bunching onions, and bulbing onions seeds need to be planted indoors 8-10 weeks before last frost. A couple of weeks later, you'll want to get leeks and peppers started, as well as chamomile, lavender, lovage, and rosemary.
Some key pointers for starting vegetable and herb seeds indoors include: use clean containers with drainage holes, use a high quality seed starting mix, use fluorescent lights hung 1"-2" above the seedlings that are turned on for 14 or more hours each day, and make sure your seedlings never dry out. A small rotating fan a few feet away can also provide air circulation and strengthen stems.
Spring in January? It will feel like it once you smell that fresh soil and see those first green seedlings emerge! With a little advance planning now, you'll have a fantastic start towards a bounty of spring and summer eatin'.
For a complete list of indoor planting dates for vegetables and herbs, see our Indoor Spring Sowing Guide for Vegetables & Herbs.
Celery is one of those special garden treasures that tastes exquisite when it's picked in your own garden. Anyone who's had the experience hopes to repeat it year after year. Growing your own also keeps it safe from the pesticides often used in its commercial production.
For most gardeners, growing celery successfully includes starting it indoors early. Celery seeds will germinate and produce tiny plantlets in as soon as 7 days, but it can take up to 30. The young plants are slow to reach a transplantable size, so it is advisable to start them indoors now. You will experience the most success if you follow a few tips:
Germination is quickest at 70-75°F in consistently moist, light soil.
Celery's tiny seeds like some light to hasten germination. Cover the seeds lightly with soil, cover with clear plastic wrap, and place in a well-lit area.
When the tiny plants appear, remove the plastic and provide consistent moisture and light.
Before you know it, you'll be enjoying the flavor homegrown celery in everything, from soups, roasts and snacks, to your favorite drink.
Our friends at Botanical Interests Seed Company, a family owned business based in Colorado, frequently pass along some great gardening advice.
The following article tells how and why we should get growing certain crops NOW in our indoor gardens so as to have some timely harvests of fresh, natural food earlier than usual in Skillin's Country. Before I go any further I need to point out that we will be having a class on this very topic on Feb 5 here at Skillin's. The class is called Indoor Gardening and more details can be found HERE. The intent of the class is to show how to grow edibles indoors. Many of our Skillin's staff people are doing this. They are loving the results but also finding that their "gardening desires"--normally largely on hold this time of year--are being better met by growing herbs, greens and other vegetables.
I need to attend this class as I have not yet endeavored to grow and food crops indoors. It does sound very rewarding.
Here is what the folks at Botanical Interests have to say:
What to Start Early Indoors
As soon as the calendar rolls over to a new year, gardeners start dreaming of spring planting. While winter may have you in its chilly grip outside, you can still nourish your green thumb indoors, because there's plenty you can do inside now to get ready for your 2011 garden.
Vegetable and herb varieties to start early include those that are slow growers, biennial or perennial, or cold tolerant. You might also consider starting more varieties indoors if you need to get a head start on a very short growing season.
If your mouth waters at the mention of succulent homegrown celery, remember that it needs a good 12-16 week growing period indoors before your average last frost date. And, don't think artichokes can only be grown by those lucky southern California gardeners! If you start them indoors, 12 weeks before your average last frost date, you can get chokes the first year in many parts of the country. For salad lovers, don't forget that endive and escarole should be started 10-12 weeks before your average last frost if you want to grow them to mature size. Eggplant, bunching onions, and bulbing onions seeds need to be planted indoors 8-10 weeks before last frost. A couple of weeks later, you'll want to get leeks and peppers started, as well as chamomile, lavender, lovage, and rosemary.
Some key pointers for starting vegetable and herb seeds indoors include: use clean containers with drainage holes, use a high quality seed starting mix, use fluorescent lights hung 1"-2" above the seedlings that are turned on for 14 or more hours each day, and make sure your seedlings never dry out. A small rotating fan a few feet away can also provide air circulation and strengthen stems.
Spring in January? It will feel like it once you smell that fresh soil and see those first green seedlings emerge! With a little advance planning now, you'll have a fantastic start towards a bounty of spring and summer eatin'.
For a complete list of indoor planting dates for vegetables and herbs, see our Indoor Spring Sowing Guide for Vegetables & Herbs.
Get a Head Start On Celery
Start indoors now for summer success!
Celery is one of those special garden treasures that tastes exquisite when it's picked in your own garden. Anyone who's had the experience hopes to repeat it year after year. Growing your own also keeps it safe from the pesticides often used in its commercial production.
For most gardeners, growing celery successfully includes starting it indoors early. Celery seeds will germinate and produce tiny plantlets in as soon as 7 days, but it can take up to 30. The young plants are slow to reach a transplantable size, so it is advisable to start them indoors now. You will experience the most success if you follow a few tips:
Germination is quickest at 70-75°F in consistently moist, light soil.
Celery's tiny seeds like some light to hasten germination. Cover the seeds lightly with soil, cover with clear plastic wrap, and place in a well-lit area.
When the tiny plants appear, remove the plastic and provide consistent moisture and light.
Before you know it, you'll be enjoying the flavor homegrown celery in everything, from soups, roasts and snacks, to your favorite drink.
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
7 Important Gardening Tips
The following is an excerpt from an article written by Rion Piccaro entitled The 7 Most Important Indoor Gardening Tips. I have added some comments in italics!
"If you enjoy gardening and would like to be growing all year round, but your climate doesn't permit you to grow outdoors in the winter months, you can always make an indoor garden. Whether you want to grow herbs, vegetables, fruits, or all of the above, you will find these indoor garden tips to be beneficial. There are plenty of grow guides and indoor garden tutorials online, so it is important that you do your research before you get started. Like with most project, it's wise to gather relevant information necessary for growing a successful indoor garden.
Top 7 indoor gardening tips:
Proper Light - Make sure you provide enough light to your plants. If they get too little light by intensity or time, they will become weaker and frail each day. Even if your home or office doesn't get enough sunlight, you can buy an indoor grow light. If adding a grow light is not an option, you can always choose a variety of plants that will grow well in low light environments.
Give Your Plants A Shower - No Kidding! You don't have to wash them every day, but it's a good thing to spray them down with fresh water regularly. The water will remove the dust and contaminants that may have landed on the leaves. Plants will absorb water through their leaves, so this is great for keeping your garden well hydrated. This is extremely important advice as so many insect problems start with dusty indoor plants and pots.
Soil Matters - Choose your soil wisely.... You can do no better than Coast of Maine's Bar Harbor Blend; an all natural and locally produced soil that is just terrific!
Drainage Is Important - Always add holes to the bottom of your plant container! Sure, you can buy planters with holes already in the bottom, but if you want to use a plastic container for starting seedlings, you may want to make your own from plastic cups. Without proper soil drainage, the water will stay in the pot, which will cause the roots rot. Good drainage along with good quality soil allows for deep waterings of your roots--very healthy!
Water Is Life - The most important indoor gardening tips regard proper watering. Water is an essential part of a plant's growth. Some plants need to be watered more frequently than others, but they all need water to survive. Room temperature water is most recommended for best absorption. However, you shouldn't never over water, or that will not be good either, but if you have good soil drainage, it will be hard to over water the plants. They will usually tell you when they need water by their leaves drooping down. When the soil feels dry to the touch about three inches down it's time to water thoroughly.
Fertilize For Success - Soil nutrients are also important factors for a healthy garden. Over time water will flush out some of the soil's nutrients, so you will have to add more nutrients periodically. Many people choose to use organic fertilizer in their garden which can come in a solid or liquid form. Always follow the instruction on the package of fertilizer that you are using for proper usage and how often to use it. You can purchase an electronic device that will check the nutrient level in your soil. I recommend all natural Dynamite--a capsulated fertilizer that needs to be applied every 3 months. Or liquid applications of Fish and Seaweed fertilizer (can result in a slight, temporary odor).
Capture It - Take lots of pictures because you may decide to start your own indoor garden blog and help others who are doing their research. Another great thing that a picture provides is the ability to post in a forum and get help with garden problems that other may have solved. Sometimes a picture is the best method for showing a certain problem to someone online or offline at your local garden center.
These are just my personal top 7 indoor gardening tips that you should consider to have your own success in growing plants indoors. Use these tips, but don't stop there. Continue to research and try new things to improve your garden so that your plants will have success and you will gain a sense of accomplishment."
Mike Skillin
Skillin's Greenhouses
December 7, 2010
"If you enjoy gardening and would like to be growing all year round, but your climate doesn't permit you to grow outdoors in the winter months, you can always make an indoor garden. Whether you want to grow herbs, vegetables, fruits, or all of the above, you will find these indoor garden tips to be beneficial. There are plenty of grow guides and indoor garden tutorials online, so it is important that you do your research before you get started. Like with most project, it's wise to gather relevant information necessary for growing a successful indoor garden.
Top 7 indoor gardening tips:
Proper Light - Make sure you provide enough light to your plants. If they get too little light by intensity or time, they will become weaker and frail each day. Even if your home or office doesn't get enough sunlight, you can buy an indoor grow light. If adding a grow light is not an option, you can always choose a variety of plants that will grow well in low light environments.
Give Your Plants A Shower - No Kidding! You don't have to wash them every day, but it's a good thing to spray them down with fresh water regularly. The water will remove the dust and contaminants that may have landed on the leaves. Plants will absorb water through their leaves, so this is great for keeping your garden well hydrated. This is extremely important advice as so many insect problems start with dusty indoor plants and pots.
Soil Matters - Choose your soil wisely.... You can do no better than Coast of Maine's Bar Harbor Blend; an all natural and locally produced soil that is just terrific!
Drainage Is Important - Always add holes to the bottom of your plant container! Sure, you can buy planters with holes already in the bottom, but if you want to use a plastic container for starting seedlings, you may want to make your own from plastic cups. Without proper soil drainage, the water will stay in the pot, which will cause the roots rot. Good drainage along with good quality soil allows for deep waterings of your roots--very healthy!
Water Is Life - The most important indoor gardening tips regard proper watering. Water is an essential part of a plant's growth. Some plants need to be watered more frequently than others, but they all need water to survive. Room temperature water is most recommended for best absorption. However, you shouldn't never over water, or that will not be good either, but if you have good soil drainage, it will be hard to over water the plants. They will usually tell you when they need water by their leaves drooping down. When the soil feels dry to the touch about three inches down it's time to water thoroughly.
Fertilize For Success - Soil nutrients are also important factors for a healthy garden. Over time water will flush out some of the soil's nutrients, so you will have to add more nutrients periodically. Many people choose to use organic fertilizer in their garden which can come in a solid or liquid form. Always follow the instruction on the package of fertilizer that you are using for proper usage and how often to use it. You can purchase an electronic device that will check the nutrient level in your soil. I recommend all natural Dynamite--a capsulated fertilizer that needs to be applied every 3 months. Or liquid applications of Fish and Seaweed fertilizer (can result in a slight, temporary odor).
Capture It - Take lots of pictures because you may decide to start your own indoor garden blog and help others who are doing their research. Another great thing that a picture provides is the ability to post in a forum and get help with garden problems that other may have solved. Sometimes a picture is the best method for showing a certain problem to someone online or offline at your local garden center.
These are just my personal top 7 indoor gardening tips that you should consider to have your own success in growing plants indoors. Use these tips, but don't stop there. Continue to research and try new things to improve your garden so that your plants will have success and you will gain a sense of accomplishment."
Mike Skillin
Skillin's Greenhouses
December 7, 2010
Monday, February 8, 2010
Indoor Vegetable Gardening, Week 2, Some Harvest!
Hello again,
Melissa M and Mary M of Skillin's Falmouth are growing vegetables indoors this winter in their homes. See the post titled Indoor Vegetable Gardening, Part 1, Getting Started! for the beginning of the adventure! Following is an update from Week 2:
.jpg)
Melissa wrote,
"Hi Mike
Thought I'd send you a brief update on the winter garden - This week I ate my first greens from it! I had a salad with some of the spinach (left from last summers garden), broccoli sprouts and micro greens. Very yummy! I have also included a picture of the celery that is growing in the greenhouse - this celery was planted in the garden last summer, it is very slow growing (at least under last summers
conditions) so in the fall we brought it in, planted it in a large tub, wrapped it in remae and put it in a small and unheated greenhouse. Since being inside this new greenhouse they have taken off and are getting quite large! I had the smaller planting of this celery on my windowsill, and have used it all winter in my soups and stews. Fresh grown celery has the most amazing aroma and taste!
Happy growing!
Melissa "
.jpg)
Stay tuned for more indoor vegetable gardening posts and meet Melissa and Mary in person at our upcoming Windowsill Gardening class at Falmouth at 2 PM on February 20!
Mike Skillin
Skillin's Greenhouses
February 8, 2010
Melissa M and Mary M of Skillin's Falmouth are growing vegetables indoors this winter in their homes. See the post titled Indoor Vegetable Gardening, Part 1, Getting Started! for the beginning of the adventure! Following is an update from Week 2:
.jpg)
Melissa wrote,
"Hi Mike
Thought I'd send you a brief update on the winter garden - This week I ate my first greens from it! I had a salad with some of the spinach (left from last summers garden), broccoli sprouts and micro greens. Very yummy! I have also included a picture of the celery that is growing in the greenhouse - this celery was planted in the garden last summer, it is very slow growing (at least under last summers
conditions) so in the fall we brought it in, planted it in a large tub, wrapped it in remae and put it in a small and unheated greenhouse. Since being inside this new greenhouse they have taken off and are getting quite large! I had the smaller planting of this celery on my windowsill, and have used it all winter in my soups and stews. Fresh grown celery has the most amazing aroma and taste!
Happy growing!
Melissa "
.jpg)
Stay tuned for more indoor vegetable gardening posts and meet Melissa and Mary in person at our upcoming Windowsill Gardening class at Falmouth at 2 PM on February 20!
Mike Skillin
Skillin's Greenhouses
February 8, 2010
Friday, January 15, 2010
Gardening Under Lights
Hello again,
I picked up this article from one of the gardening sources we follow at Twitter. This is just a good straight ahead write up of how to garden under lights--very topical for this time of year.
The entire article can be found at http://ezinearticles.com/?Gardening-Under-Lights-Plants-Need-Both-Light-and-Darkness&id=3575122&utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter.
Here it is!:
The effect of daylight hours on blooming plants has long been recognized by scientists who have done research on plant growth habits. It's known that some plants are triggered to bloom by short days (chrysanthemums, for example); others including most all of the garden annuals, by longer days. A third group, and most house plants are in this one, seem to be unaffected by day length. But it is a well-known fact that all plants need a period of darkness in each 24-hour period. For this reason, it is important to establish a regular schedule for turning the lights on and off in your garden under lights.
To help you do this accurately, an automatic timer, which you can set to turn lights on and off at the times you choose, is an item that is well worth the money. Most flowering plants need about 16 hours of artificial light, while foliage plants do well on 10 or 12 hours. If you grow a mixture of plants, set the timer for the number of hours needed by the flowering varieties, since a few extra hours will do no harm to the foliage plants.
Other Plant Needs
In addition to light and darkness, plants need more humidity than is available in an average home in winter months. For sizable light gardens, it is worthwhile to install a small fan to keep the air circulating (though not blowing directly onto plants) and one of the cool vapor-type humidifiers, which are capable of putting out from 2 to 10 gallons of water in a 24-hour period.
For small light gardens, humidity can be increased by lining waterproof plant trays with pebbles, sand, vermiculite, or peat moss and by keeping the material moist. Care must be taken that pots don't stand in water. Excess water will cause root rot for some varieties. Heavy plastic hung over sides of shelves, ends open for circulation, is also effective in raising humidity, but is not attractive if your light garden is located in the lived-in areas of your home.
Still another way to increase humidity is by frequent misting, using water of room temperature. Handy syringe bottles for this purpose are on the market at low cost. Avoid misting after noon, for plants shouldn't have wet foliage when lights go off.
When feeding plants-under-lights, you can use the same liquid fertilizer that you use for other house plants, diluted in the same proportion and applied at intervals suggested by the manufacturer. Or, since watering is less frequent due to higher humidity, you may wish to do as some experts recommend: feed plants at about one-fourth strength whenever you water them.
If your garden-under-light is an architectural or decorative feature, you can, by choosing foliage plants that tolerate low light, make use of ceiling-level lighting. You can choose from circle-line tubes, panel lighting, and fluorescent as well as incandescent lights mounted in fixtures that are designed to cast light onto plants without producing unpleasant glare in a room.
Excessive heat builds up if large numbers of incandescent bulbs are grouped together in a small area. Through an electrical supply company, you can order 130-volt bulbs, which will be somewhat cooler.
Although very few plants 'thrive' under conditions of low artificial light, there are a number of plants that remain attractive for long periods of time. You will do well to make use of the following lists for help in selecting these as well as plants that will flourish under normal light-garden wattage.
Mike Skillin
Skillin's Greenhouses
January 15, 2010
I picked up this article from one of the gardening sources we follow at Twitter. This is just a good straight ahead write up of how to garden under lights--very topical for this time of year.
The entire article can be found at http://ezinearticles.com/?Gardening-Under-Lights-Plants-Need-Both-Light-and-Darkness&id=3575122&utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter.
Here it is!:
The effect of daylight hours on blooming plants has long been recognized by scientists who have done research on plant growth habits. It's known that some plants are triggered to bloom by short days (chrysanthemums, for example); others including most all of the garden annuals, by longer days. A third group, and most house plants are in this one, seem to be unaffected by day length. But it is a well-known fact that all plants need a period of darkness in each 24-hour period. For this reason, it is important to establish a regular schedule for turning the lights on and off in your garden under lights.
To help you do this accurately, an automatic timer, which you can set to turn lights on and off at the times you choose, is an item that is well worth the money. Most flowering plants need about 16 hours of artificial light, while foliage plants do well on 10 or 12 hours. If you grow a mixture of plants, set the timer for the number of hours needed by the flowering varieties, since a few extra hours will do no harm to the foliage plants.
Other Plant Needs
In addition to light and darkness, plants need more humidity than is available in an average home in winter months. For sizable light gardens, it is worthwhile to install a small fan to keep the air circulating (though not blowing directly onto plants) and one of the cool vapor-type humidifiers, which are capable of putting out from 2 to 10 gallons of water in a 24-hour period.
For small light gardens, humidity can be increased by lining waterproof plant trays with pebbles, sand, vermiculite, or peat moss and by keeping the material moist. Care must be taken that pots don't stand in water. Excess water will cause root rot for some varieties. Heavy plastic hung over sides of shelves, ends open for circulation, is also effective in raising humidity, but is not attractive if your light garden is located in the lived-in areas of your home.
Still another way to increase humidity is by frequent misting, using water of room temperature. Handy syringe bottles for this purpose are on the market at low cost. Avoid misting after noon, for plants shouldn't have wet foliage when lights go off.
When feeding plants-under-lights, you can use the same liquid fertilizer that you use for other house plants, diluted in the same proportion and applied at intervals suggested by the manufacturer. Or, since watering is less frequent due to higher humidity, you may wish to do as some experts recommend: feed plants at about one-fourth strength whenever you water them.
If your garden-under-light is an architectural or decorative feature, you can, by choosing foliage plants that tolerate low light, make use of ceiling-level lighting. You can choose from circle-line tubes, panel lighting, and fluorescent as well as incandescent lights mounted in fixtures that are designed to cast light onto plants without producing unpleasant glare in a room.
Excessive heat builds up if large numbers of incandescent bulbs are grouped together in a small area. Through an electrical supply company, you can order 130-volt bulbs, which will be somewhat cooler.
Although very few plants 'thrive' under conditions of low artificial light, there are a number of plants that remain attractive for long periods of time. You will do well to make use of the following lists for help in selecting these as well as plants that will flourish under normal light-garden wattage.
Mike Skillin
Skillin's Greenhouses
January 15, 2010
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