I had read that there were numerous advantages to setting up your own nursery indoors at home. The prices of fresh produce were very expensive and I often could not afford it. I also liked the fact that my own produce could remain pesticide free.
photo credit: schnaars

After I read about all of the benefits of setting up an indoor nursery at home I was excited to give it a try. The article recommended the equipment that I would need to get started.

First you will have to find an area that has enough space to set up your plants.

Just make sure that the area you select does not get too cold. Garages and basements make great places to start your seedlings as long as they are heated.

Assemble whatever table or shelving system that you will be using for your plants and set up your trays filled with potting soil.

When starting your own indoor nursery, you should experiment with a variety of different seeds. Try out some fresh herbs and vegetables and a few different types of flowering annuals.

Remember whatever you can not plant at your home, your neighbors and friends will be happy to use in their gardens.

Many people choose a fluorescent grow light to stimulate the initial growth of the plants. These light are energy efficient and perfect for use in small areas, such as an at home nursery. A fluorescent grow light generates a lot less heat than some of the other types of grow lights and can be placed in much closer proximity to the plants.

A fluorescent grow light is also very affordable. You can use them in virtually any size space and there are a number of models available to fit your budget.

The article also informed me about the latest in technology for nursery and greenhouse lighting. Ufo led grow lights are environmentally friendly, energy efficient, and an excellent choice for starting seedlings. Many nurseries and greenhouses have already made the switch to ufo led lighting.

Even though ufo led lights are more expensive to purchase initially, in the long run they will save you money. Your electric bill will be lower and the bulbs will not need to be replaced as frequently as others.

In these economic times it just makes sense to establish your own indoor nursery.

You will save yourself money and have direct control over the types of plants that are available to you.

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photo credit: audreyjm529 Overall, if given a rest period during the year and watered and fertilized properly the Shamrock will live for many years. If you notice your plant looks a little weak or seems to be suffering there are two plant diseases that affect the shamrock plant.

Shamrock Plant Disease

Fungal Rust can be diagnosed when you notice an obvious orange color on the underside of the leaves. Treatment: I remove the plant from the pot and clean the pot thoroughly. If you feel the plant needs repotted this it the time to do so.

Before placing the plant back in its pot wash the plant carefully with a mix of neem oil. Neem oil is not one of the toxic chemicals that many people use so I feel its safe to use and its good for several other forms of plant diseases too.

After placing the plant back in the pot remove the top layer of soil and replace with fresh soil. Water the plant lightly with a chamomile tea mix. If your plant has really suffered you may want to take extra measures. This site has information on common plant disease

Spider Mites are a common problem on the shamrock plant.  These insect parasites are small mites that are almost not visible. They produce a little white webbing that is sticky. They seem to choose to hide and live under leaves and in the joints of stems.

You need to remedy the problem as quickly as possible or they will spread. A spider mite sucks the juice out of the plant and weakens it. If left untreated the plant will slowly die.

If you suspect mites, there are two treatments.  A home remedy of water a few drops of dish soap and a touch of garlic will stop the mites. If the mites are quite large touching them with Sea Breeze that is placed on a Q-tip will kill the bug.

You can treat the plant with Bayer Advanced Tree and Shrub Insecticide.  Mix this product with water as directed and pour on the soil around the base of the plant.  It will kill the bugs within a week or so.  The plus to this product is that it provides protection from reinfestation for up to a year.

Note: Make sure you remove any old or infected soil from the top of the pot.

For more information on this plant check Shamrock Plant Care and The Shamrock Plant

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Bonsai plants are extremely attractive specimens of age old practice. Bonsais are highly attractive, so many people proudly display them in their houses. However, extra care is needed for indoor bonsai trees.
photo credit: Rex Roof

This is mostly because they do not receive the full benefits of natural sunlight and natural weather conditions. They might appear to be hardy. However, there are certain bonsais that will become fragile when it comes to light and water.

Watering Your Indoor Bonsai

When you bring a bonsai tree indoors it will require lighting to replace the natural sunlight that it would have been receiving beforehand. You also need to keep an eye on the frequency of watering. Your bonsai plant will also thrive if kept in a well ventilated area. The variety of bonsai plant that you possess will dictate how how often it requires watering.

Another key factor is the soil. Some bonsai plants or trees require damp soil, whilst others survive well in a drought. Misting your plant might be a necessity. This will help to create a rainforest humidity in which your bonsai plant will thrive. If you decide to use a humidity tray then ensure that the pot is not exposed to the water, but rather placed on some pebbles or a stand.

Bonsai Cutting and Pruning

Indoor bonsai trees still require pruning and cutting on a regular basis in order to maintain their appearance. Simply because bonsai plants look as though they are frozen in time, does not mean that they do not grow.

Depending on the variety of your bonsai plant or tree, you will need to repot it every year to three years. Maintaining the branches is also essential if you want it to hold its shape and style.
photo credit: OpenEye

Depending on the type of bonsai, it’s important to reduce the amount of fertilizer you use during the winter. The reason for this is that there are some types of bonsai that go into hibernation at this time. So they don’t require as many nutrients as in the warmer months.

Because of the artificial environment in which they are kept, indoor bonsais don’t experience the complete cycle of seasons. It is also important to check indoor bonsai trees for pests and other anomalies. When bonsais are situated indoors, they may become a favorite place for spiders and other mites.

The best practice is to clean the leaves and branches with great care using a damp cloth or a brush.

By following these tips for bonsai care, your tree is sure to be an attractive feature of your home for years to come.

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The economy has the nation in a pinch. Your grocery bill expands while your paycheck continues to shrink. Your gas tank eats $30 to $40 every time you fill up. Considering the devastated economy, you’re probably never going to see a raise this year even though prices are going up. Sometimes it can feel like you’re wrestling an alligator just to make ends meet.
photo credit: NatalieHG

You’re going to have to do something about your budget. Penny pinching begins with the grocery bill. More people are beginning to raise their own food in their home, growing their own indoor vegetables in whatever free space they have. All it takes is a few feet of extra space to harvest a fresh indoor vegetable garden, cutting your grocery bill down to size.

Making every dollar work for you makes economical sense, especially when it comes to a LED UFO light. They use very little energy, generally just a little more than a typical living room lamp. A 90-watt growing LED light can produce as much light as a 400-watt HPS bulb and cover 12 feet of space. The lights aren’t even noticeable on your electric bill, no more than leaving the front light on all night.

LED lights may be a little more expensive, but keep in mind they virtually last a lifetime. While HPS lights lose their power after only a couple of growing seasons, LED lights produce optimal light for decades. If you plan to grow indoors for more than a few seasons, they are absolutely worth the money.

Because the lights produce little heat, there’s no danger of heat damage to your plants. You don’t need to worry about using fans or air conditioners.

An LED UFO light is simple to install. Conveniently hang it from the ceiling and plug it in. You don’t have to mess with cumbersome ballasts, and you don’t need any fans. With growing LED lights, setting up a growing process couldn’t be simpler.

There’s also no need for an electrician. Since all you have to do is plug the light in, there’s no complicated wiring to configure. It’s safe with little risk of fire.

With indoor gardening, you can enjoy fresh tomatoes, lettuce, herbs, green peppers throughout the year, even if you live in the city. LED lights let you grow indoors with no carbon footprint. You’ll save money growing your own food, and you’ll live healthier. When you enjoy a complete diet of fresh organic tomatoes and herbs, you really feel the difference, beginning with your energy and vitality. Your food will not only taste better, but you’ll be healthier and enjoy more energy every day.

Technorati Tags: container gardening, gardening tips, Growing LED, indoor plants, vegetables

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photo credit: cliff1066

Once started the cotton plant is not that hard to care for. I started my seeds in four-inch pots with rich fertilized soil. You can also use regular potting soil but add plant fertilizer to enhance the soil.

Place 4 seeds in each four-inch pot. Water the seeds and place in a sunny area. I often will cover new seeds with a plastic cover to keep in the moisture. It acts like a greenhouse and helps the seeds to sprout quicker. When the seeds begin to sprout remove the plastic so that the plants can breath.

Once the seedlings have begun to grow, leave the healthiest looking seedling to grow in each pot. I remove the smaller ones and repot them. My nephews always enjoy these plants or I will take them to a retirement home for them to grow.

When the plants outgrow their original pots transplant them into 12-inch pots. Usually when the plants are developing their second set of full sized leaves they are ready to be transferred. After you transfer the plants, water them well and add some fertilizer to help with transplants shock. I give the plants a few days with less sun to recover then move them back into a sunny area.

Cotton plants thrive with a typical tomato feed that can be found in most garden centers, nurseries or online stores. The tomato feed is high in nutrients, which benefit the cotton plant.

Water the cotton plants regularly, usually once a week. I grow my cotton plants on my patio and bring them in the fall at night when the temperatures start to cool. Cotton is more of a warm weather crop so if your climate is a cool climate they may benefit from being brought in at night.

When the flowers of the cotton plant begin to die off, the ‘bolls’, which hold the cotton seed, begins to form. Cotton plants that are grown outdoors will drop their bolls at the end of the season when the plant is dying. Indoor cotton plants need to have the bolls picked.

Cotton plants are fun and unique, particularly the pastel colored cotton, but the plants have prickers and can scratch you so you need to take care around them.
photo credit: chadmiller

I remember my first time I picked cotton at my cousins farm in Georgia. The cotton took a little getting used to in order to pick it properly without scratching yourself and ripping the boll. But it was a fun adventure and a field of cotton is a pretty site.

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photo credit: Koshyk

Forcing the lily to bloom in early spring for the Easter holiday makes the lily plant seem rather fragile. Forcing a plant takes a toll and the response is fast flowers and blooms but also the fast decline in the plant. But with a few simple steps the life of the lily can be extended for you to enjoy longer.

First, choose a healthy plant with dark green foliage. You will also want the flowers to be in various stages of bloom. The plant should have 2 to 3 partly opened flowers and several unopened buds. These buds will bloom in the next several days.

The decorative foil around the plant’s pot adds more flair to the flower arrangement but it will need to be removed for the health of the plant. Water the plant when the soil feels dry, but do not over water. Also make sure the plant does not sit in standing water. This is why I always set a plant on pebbles and plant tray.

For the best watering results, hold the lily plant over a sink and allow the water to drain out through the holes in the bottom of the pot. Using this method you will the soil has been well saturated and that the plant is properly drained.

Easter lilies thrive in cooler temperatures around 60 to 65 degrees so keep the plants away from a heater. Also avoid sitting them in a drafty area. I place my lily plants in front of a window in bright, indirect sunlight. Do not keep the plant in direct sunlight.

Also remove any flowers that have started to wither. Even withering flowers take energy and the small buds will be affected.

As beautiful as the lily is the plant is very toxic to cats so place the plant out of reach of any small animal or child.

After the lily plant has died down, pull off the dead stems and let set for a few weeks. Lilies will re-flower if left alone or planted outdoors. They are actually a hardy plant and can grow up to eight foot tall in the right environment. So save the bulbs for later planting as  the lily is a beautiful plant and adds to any garden.

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photo credit: Just chaos

A very interesting terrarium is one set up with carnivorous plants. Most carnivorous plants are native to the United States. With their tropical look this fact surprises many people. And they are one of the more difficult plant varieties to grow. But growing them in a terrarium creates an atmosphere they like and it is a fun project to try.

Supplies needed for your Carnivorous Plant terrarium

·    Activated charcoal
·    Distilled water
·    Glass container – fish tank or unique glass bowls make great terrariums
·    Gravel
·    Several carnivorous plants
·    Sphagnum peat moss
·    Insects such as crickets or flies

Choose a glass container for your terrarium. If you have a lot of plants you may want a fish tank. I pick up my glass containers at garage sales and auctions and I look for interesting shapes. Your Carnivorous plants will need a lot of humidity, so the container should have a lid.

Next add a layer of gravel of loose pebbles or gravel to the bottom of your terrarium. The layer should be an inch deep. Then top the gravel with about 1/2 inch of activated charcoal. This absorbs any odors in the tank.
photo credit: ljmacphee

Cover the gravel and charcoal with a layer of sphagnum peat moss. Next I add about three inches of unfertilized soil. My friend told me many years ago to using sphagnum peat moss with silica sand or medium grade orchid bark. This mix will create an acidic soil that carnivorous plants like.

Add distilled water to the peat moss and mix until it turns black.  Then you will want to mix in the sand or bark. This creates a bog type soil that the plants need to thrive.

Now comes the fun part. Adding the plants! These are a few carnivorous plants that you might select for the terrarium: Cobra Lily (Darlingtonia Californica); North American Pitcher Plants (Sarracenia); Australian Pitcher Plant (Cephalotus Follicularis); South American Sun Pitchers (Heliamphora); Sundew (Drosera); Bladderwort (Utricularia); Butterwort (Pinguicula); and the most well known carnivorous plant, the Venus Flytrap (Dionaea muscipula). These plants can be ordered from garden suppliers or bought at larger garden centers or greenhouses.

Water your terrarium well with distilled water. This is important. The other types of water contain minerals and additives that could stunt plant growth or kill your plants.

You will want to place the terrarium in a spot with bright light where the temperature should average 65 to 75 degrees during the day and 55 to 65 degrees at night.

Tip: Carnivorous plants do not tolerate low light levels or high temperatures. The area also should not be drafty. Since carnivorous plants need plenty of light but will overheat if placed in direct sunlight, you may need to supplement lighting by using a good quality florescent light.

Your plants will need to be fed about once a month. They will eat either live or dead ants, flies or crickets. Children enjoy a carnivorous terrarium and will learn a lot from this project.

Technorati Tags: indoor plants, plant care, venus flytrap plant

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Saint Patrick’s Day is not complete without a Shamrock plant. The plant has a spring feel and signifies good luck. It’s a welcome addition to any home. But after it has flowered it will need a rest. How soon will depend on how hard it was forced to have flowers by Saint Patrick’s Day and on how it was treated before you bought the plant. If it was in poor lighting, cool areas or lacked water it may be stressed and need a break sooner.

The Shamrock plant will need to rest a couple of times during the year. the leaves will yellow and look sad. Just remove the ones that are dying and cut back on water. Soon the plant will look very sad. It’s time to remove the leaves and stems to let the plant rest. I move the plant to a low light area and ignore. When you see signs of new growth on eh bulb bring the plant back into light and water.

In no time at all the plant will spring to life.

Care of the Shamrock Plant

Any plant will need repotted after a bit. It gives the plant new nutrition, fresh soil and a clean or new home depending if you totally repot the plant. I repot my plants once a year. It gives me a chance to check the roots and see if they are healthy or root bound. I also like to give the plant a new pot and a new look.

Repotting the Shamrock Plant

My Shamrock plants are several years old. Each year in late spring I replant them. Plants will let you know if they need replanted but by changing planters each year you know your plant is getting attention and proper care. This year I am changing my four shamrocks into different colored pots and adding a few mini ceramic pottery pieces to the pot for décor.

To repot you plant, tap the sides of the pot to loosen the soil. Hold the plant in place down by the base near the soil and tip on its side. The plant should come out but if it hesitated push you finger into the drainage hole to coax the plant out.

Check the look of the soil once the plant is out. If it has any crusty dirt or whitish spots remove them. Gently loosen the soil so that the plants roots breath better; but take care not to damage any plant roots.

If you are using the same pot make sure you wash it well and let it dry completely. I am using new pots but have washed them and let them dry. I will place broken pieces of clay pot over the drainage hole to hold dirt in but let water drain through. Next put in about 2 two to three inches of rich soil in the pot.

Set the Shamrock root ball onto the dirt, and carefully fill soil around the plant. Pat the soil around the base of the plant to hold it up right. Fill in the pot with more dirt until the pot is about 7/8th full. As a final step I place very small pebbles on the top of the soil. This helps to keep the soil loose so that the water will soak into the plant easier.

I normally water my plants from the bottom of the pot. This stops soil mold from forming and the soil from getting hard. I also find the soil stays in better condition if you water from below. But once in a while I do water from the top. Water you newly potted plant and let the plant relax for a few days

4 leaf clover

photo credit: cygnus921

As a last step, place your newly potted plant on a tray of pebbles. This creates more humidity around the plant and makes for a better plant environment. If by chance you plant has looked a little stressed or tired I will place a plastic bag tent over the plant to create a greenhouse effect. This perks almost any plant up immediately.

Once my plant has adapted to its new pot I add the ceramic pottery pieces and select its home for the year. My shamrock plants have done very well over the years and have produced more bulbs, which I have potted up and given to friends. Enjoy your Shamrock plant.

Tip: If your soil gets hard on the top of your plants during the year, gently loosen with a fork. Small pebbles should alleviate this problem.

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photo credit: di_the_huntress

I have used the indoor greenhouse for all of the reason listed above and over the years it has become a staple for raising healthy plants and nurturing sick plants. Indoor gardening takes the gloom out of my long winter months and is where I experiment with different plants and seeds. I have also started cutting in the indoor greenhouse.

The indoor greenhouse is perfect for growing flowers in the winter and keeping a fresh supply of herbs. I have forced tulips and daffodils for Easter and I even grow cucumbers and tomatoes all year long. You may even decide to grow plants or flowers as gifts.

How do you set up an indoor greenhouse?

There are several ways and this one is an easier versions. You can but a temporary moveable mini greenhouse. They are six to eight long by three to four foot wide at most gardening centers or Wal-Mart. They cost 20 to 60 dollars depending on size and when you buy them. I picked up two at an auction for a dollar apiece. These greenhouses come with shelves a frame and the plastic cover and can be used indoors or out.

For a greenhouse set up like this chose a room that is not being used. I have one in a basement room that gets plenty of outdoor light and another in an unused upstairs bedroom. This room also gets plenty of light so that I don’t need additional added lighting for my plants.

If you do need extra lighting, I would suggest using the fluorescent bar lights that are 4 foot long will work well. These are often used in office buildings. The bar lights can be attached over the top of the shelves for additional lighting. Your plants will need four to eight hours or light depending on what you are growing and how light is available in your room. I have also used mini spotlights if I need extra lighting, but I try to find a place in the house that has enough light to conserve on electricity. Note: if you plants are thin and leggy they need more light.

Another indoor greenhouse can be professional greenhouse plant starting stand, which costs more but is complete and ready to use. Or you can create a greenhouse as simple as setting up an unused metal shelf and covering it with clear plastic. What you are trying to do is create a warmer environment and more control over the humidity.

What ever indoor greenhouse you use you need to remember that lighting, proper watering and the best soil mix you can obtain will lead to healthy plants, seedlings and transplants. An indoor greenhouse will extend you growing season and create a more tropical feel to your home.

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With the cold and rain I decided today would be an indoor day.  My goals for today were clean my indoor plants and get them ready for spring. I also sorted through some of more unusual seeds and pulled them aside to start.

While looking online today I found this you tube on an indoor vegetable garden. Between the color and the music I found it relaxing and put me in the mood to get serious in my greenhouse. I must admit my indoor garden is not this nice, but its incentive to make it so.

 
I like the use of the windows, window lights and containers. She has very nice small vegetable mini containers growing that mix color and texture. It just proves gardening does not have to be dull or boring.

The window boxes also worked well and the mix of flowers and herbs worked well. I would like my indoor garden to look this nice. Maybe with the addition of the sunroom I plan to have up for next year it will.

Technorati Tags: Creative Organic Gardening, indoor gardening, indoor plants

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