Growing herbs in an air-conditioned o...
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Is this pure fantasy? What if I had a grow light? I got some garlic to sprout mightily (~8"), but the shoots died off soon thereafter. What about mint? (I can't grow it at home; yeah, I'm the only one in the world.) The ones I'd most like are chives, parsley, cilantro, basil, and rosemary.
TIA
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(post #12742, reply #1 of 24)
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I think it would be worth a try. I'd definitely go with the grow light though.
(post #12742, reply #2 of 24)
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A good strong grow-light or a very sunny south window would be necessary. Be sure to douse the plants once a week to get rid of aphids and mites, which get to be problems indoors because of lack of predators.
Good luck, and let us know how things turn out.
(post #12742, reply #3 of 24)
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Thanks, Ruth. It will be a north window (when it happens)--and by "dousing" do you mean I submerge the foliage (or that entire above-ground part) in water? Or something else?
TIA, and I'll certainly keep you all posted. I'm determined to make something besides ornamentals grow here :)
(post #12742, reply #4 of 24)
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What I do is take my aphid-infested plants to the kitchen sink, gently pinch the aphid clusters (they tend to gang up at the tender new tips of the plant), and then rinse all bugs, dead or alive, off with a strong spray of water. Dunking in water won't do as good a job. Sorry not to be clear -- an editorial sin!
(post #12742, reply #5 of 24)
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Thanks, Ruth. So far, I've been pretty lucky w/my office plants--no bugs. Worst luck is w/a ficus, but that's due to erratic watering and lighting, I think--some of the leaves and branches just die. At least that's what I think is wrong, since I can't find any bugs.
(As an editor myself, I certainly forgive your tiny lack/lapse of clarity. It's really hard for me to edit what I write. That essential second set of eyes is crucial; it's just that in forums like these, it's after my words are there for all to see. Oh well.)
(post #12742, reply #6 of 24)
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Well, Kai, we are cross-pollinating here! On the grow light, I have read somewhere that you don't need to get the expensive kind--there are regular fluorescent bulbs that have the same range of light. I would think that the ones you want to grow would do OK on a "windowsill". Do you have room for good size pots?
(post #12742, reply #7 of 24)
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Yeah, I think a lot of Taunton folks have crossover interests :)
I was wondering if maybe just a full spectrum light might work. I've never grown anything under lights, so I imagine I have quite a bit of research ahead of me.
Window sills will accommodate 8", otherwise, no limit (except for all my books and papers!)
(post #12742, reply #8 of 24)
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When DH grew orchids under lights, he found that one cool and one warm bulb was enough, but I'm wondering if that is enough for your herbs. They will tell you, though, by growing weak and spindly. I'd put them as close to the bulbs as possible without touching. Either your light fixture or your plant stand should be adjustable for this reason. Good luck. We've been having frost and snow again after 60-70° weather. ~sigh~
(post #12742, reply #9 of 24)
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Kai, I second Jean's advice. One warm white, one cool white is what I use for my seedlings.
(post #12742, reply #10 of 24)
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Thanks Jean and Ruth! I will go w/one cool and one warm, and ya' know what, I'm gonna try an orchid for the first time, too :) Any suggestions for a variety I'm least likely to kill? My color pref is purple or white. TIA.
(post #12742, reply #11 of 24)
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Buy a Phalaenopsis that is just starting to bud. If you can find one with one or two flowers open you can be sure it's the color you like.
They are easily grown on a windowsill or under lights. Their leaves are probably more attractive when the plant is not in bloom than many other orchids. Given proper care the stalk will keep blooming for several months, some will even go four... and then they might go again for a couple more. If you can't find reliable cultural information let me know...I'll look for a good website for you. It has printable culture sheets on many species of orchids. DH recently sold his collection so I deleted all my orchid bookmarks--what a dummie! Let me forewarn you. Orchids become an addiction just like some forums......LOL
(post #12742, reply #12 of 24)
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I managed to kill the phalaenopsis I gave my husband for his birthday, but I've had a cymbidium for 8 years that I love. It has been in bloom since December. Very easy -- it loves my chilly sunroom.
Jean, have you read Orchid Fever? I just brought it home. "You can kick drugs, booze, gambling and women. But you'll never get off orchids." or something like that. Oops -- this isn't an edible topic.
(post #12742, reply #13 of 24)
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Oops --
this isn't an edible topic.
Aaack, sorry. So used to CT where one thing leads to another and the end of the thread has nothing to do w/the original post!
(post #12742, reply #14 of 24)
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Thanks so much Jean. Guess if I have more questions I better post them in the other garden place :)
(post #12742, reply #15 of 24)
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Haven't read that one, but I enjoyed Orchid Thief. Collecting is truly an addictive disease. DH quit cold turkey and is doing well since he substituted digital photography. Chilly is the operative word as far as growing cymbidiums goes. Not everyone (including us) can grow them, or I should say bloom them. BTW lots of restaurants in this area are using dendrobiums as a garnish assuring their patrons that they are edible.
(post #12742, reply #16 of 24)
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No, no, no, no, no ---- don't worry about it, kai! It's not like there are dozens of posts here that people have to wade through.
(post #12742, reply #17 of 24)
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Thanks, Ruth :) But for the sake of others, I'll try to keep this thread clean of off-topic stuff :)
(post #12742, reply #18 of 24)
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Kai, we need an update......got anything growing??
(post #12742, reply #19 of 24)
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Jean, it's rather depressing, but here goes. The promotion keeps getting put off. Company needs to curtail expenses/Company keeps buying up other companies right and left/Company's stock keeps tanking on the good news/Company expanding like crazy/Boss's boss "forgets" that my slot is up for promotion, so it doesn't get budgeted/etc., and we need all those window offices for expensive engineers :) It looks like the soonest I'll get a window office is Oct., but I'm no longer holding my breath.
The best I can say is that the string of hearts plant I bought for my boss when he joined in June is doing great, and I've put a few sprigs of it into a pot (of vermiculite--which I've since learned is a total no-no), and they are all doing so well :| The worst I can say is that my ficus totally crapped out (those horrid brown sucky scale-type insects), and the few mint sprigs that I put in water grew one or two sets of leaves and then promptly died. I swear, there must be a reason I am the only person on earth who can't grow mint under any circumstances!
Since that time, I've really only had time to work--not pretty-up my workspace with growing things. Oh well, it's a paycheck :) You can be certain I'll keep you posted when something happens :)
Oh, one other good thing--the bamboo plants I have growing in just water are doing well :)
More than you wanted or need to know, I'm sure, but thanks for asking :)
Dreaming of orchids :)
(post #12742, reply #20 of 24)
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Bummer! The string of hearts are cool though!
(post #12742, reply #21 of 24)
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Yeah, I love string of hearts. Had a huge string of pearls (maybe 5' long) that succumbed to mealy worms? (those white fuzzy things). Of course, it was surely also due to my neglect at finding them at the outset :(
(post #12742, reply #22 of 24)
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Too bad about the mealy bugs....they are toughto get rid of. I never could figure out why they didn't call the plant string-of-peas.....I've never seen green pearls--have you? ;-)
(post #12742, reply #23 of 24)
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LOL! green "pearls"--at least peas taste good, and there is no mistaking for the real thing!
(post #12742, reply #24 of 24)
I bought a phalaeonopsis at Home depot that bloomed for several months, I cut back to a knob on the 2 blooming stems and then had 6 more stems grow and bloom, now its lost its blooms again, so I want to prune again, and not sure, can only see where the old blooms came out, not knobs (or whatever they are called) where new ones might grow.
Also have one that I pruned back for the 2nd time, but now, the 3rd time, instead of another blooming stem growing it has turned out to be a leave bud. How can I root it?