Indoor gardens fall winter 2013

Potted plants will be coming in soon!

THis was interesting about Clivia-

http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1336490/

Picture is off topic LOL

I am so inconsistent with taking care of indoor plants. I pay attention to them in the winter, but by summer they are so neglected and are usually dead by fall :( I guess there is too much to do outside and for some stupid reason I never think to even take 10 minutes to water the indoor things.

I spent a few hours yesterday morning cleaning up the pots in the family room, salvaged what I could, and replaced others with cheap ones from the Wal-Mart. The Wal-Mart plants are pretty common, nothing out of the ordinary, but they look nice and at least they are alive LOL...

Teri--

I have not jumped in on this Thread yet....for real...asthis is my "forte"...

But--re watering indoor plants--I find it helps to keep bottles of water sitting
here and there between the houseplants. Empty water bottles, soda bottles, etc..
It is much easier to just grab a filled bottle as you see a that dry plant .
This is much easier than going to the kitchen, find the watering can,
filing it and going to find what needs watering.

You can re-cycle any container you want. I like to wash out and remove the labels
from empty coffee creamer bottles. They are just the right size to grab in hand and water.

When all my plants are in, they are all over the house. On every horizontal surface
and by every possible source of light. It is overwhelming to decide to water
everything all at once. Besides--not all plants need to be watered equally.

Hope this helps.....Gita

Gita that is an excellent suggestion

:o)

Yep, good suggestion Gita. Thanks for the tip.

Just had a further thought on this.....

If you keep enough bottles/jars filled with water among all the plants--
it would also add to the humidity a bit....

You could also dribble a few drops of Fertilized (like MG for AV's) in some of the
(bottles--but mark them!!!)--so you can feed your plants weekly/weakly....;o)

I am sure I will come up with some more useful hints.

Sally! A Great idea starting this Thread!!! We need a Houseplant Thread
around this neck of the woods! Happy dance!!!
Houseplants were my first forte base on plants. The Garden plants
came later...I don't get to talk a whole lot about Houseplants---here, just gardening ...

Lay it on!!!!.............. :o)) Gita


Thanks--Gita

I plan to use rainwater in my plants all winter, could be supplemented with blue drops or compost tea.

edited to remove duplicate Post....

I seem to have sent this twice?????? G.

This message was edited Oct 8, 2013 9:47 PM

My house is so cold...I almost want to put the comforter on...
I had many of my windows, and front door. open most of the day--well into the evening..
Now it is pretty cool in here....feels so different...so strange to be shivering a bit...

I have not brought any plants in yet--they can deal with this coolness. But--it is foreboding
that one of these nights--it will be a panic situation.

I have formulated a plan of where I will keep all my AV's this winter.
Everything I have done is OK--the re-potting really helped the Baby AV's.
They have doubled in size. LOVE that "Lambert" AV soil. It is a canadian product.
The peat moss in it feels like it is milled. So fine--it feels like velvet.
It has Perlite in it as well. Water is absorbed into it immediately.
I got it at the MD. Flower and Foliage GH. They wanted to get rid of the few
bags they had laying around. So--I got 5 bags for FREE!
I don't know WHY they even had it! They don't sell AV's!!!

Anyway--back to my plan....

I bought a ganging light--the shiny metal one that looks like an upside down bowl.
You screw a bulb in there and hang it from the ceiling. $14.97 at HD.
I will put a card table in the far corner of my DR (where my Ric Rac used to hang)
and put all the AV's (4 trays-full) under this light. I can raise and lower the light as needed.
Will use a small chain to hang it by.
MY AV's really, really need more light--and they have to get away from that cold LR window.
Maybe that is why they have not bloomed.
This way--I can use the shelves against my windows for other small plants--like my
CC's (a lot of them too!)and they don't mind the cool temps., potted Spider plants,
Begonia cuttings, etc...

Right now--the Av's are all sitting under the lights on my seed starting rack.
Will need that for cuttings and, eventually, for seed growing. Just thinking ahead...

Today--I saw the beginnings of itsy bitsy bloom bumps at the tips of my larger CC's.
All my smaller (now getting larger) CC's are still outside the front door.
I think what is a bit detrimental to these blooming is that they sit right under
my front door light--which is on all night.
Same in the back--my patio "moon" is also on all night--so the CC's in both places,
never get complete darkness that they, supposedly, need.

I want SO bad to see the 6 CC's that JB mailed me last year bloom!
Each one was a different color...They have grown much bigger from when I got them.

SO! Not much else to report on the Inside Plants scenario. Bracing for THE night....

Gita

http://catalogue.lambertpeatmoss.com/products/

Did not see any info. of retail places around here...
Sent them a message asking if there are any .

My Baby AV's re-potted in this AV Mix have doubled in size.

wow the AVs look fantastic!

Good reminder about dark for the CCs. Mine is on the deck, there's a light by the door.. I'll move it .

Gita, your green thumb really puts the care I give (not) to my houseplants to shame. The few AVs that I have are almost, but not quite dead. I need to see if they can be rescued or not.

Beautiful AVs, Gita! I was chilly yesterday also--turned my heat on a little for the first time this fall.

yes, time to think of potting up a few tender perennials and bringing them indoors.

Teri--

IF you want to bother--you can remove the healthiest leaves from your
struggling, older AV's and start new plants from them. It is quite easy.
If you want to do that--I will walk you through it.
There are 3 different ways you can do that. I even have pictures...

Here's the easiest--Stand leaves in 2" of mix in a high-domed container
2-3lbs of grapes come in. These are vented both top and bottom. perfect!

Stand the leaf-stems (at least 1-1/2" long) in the fresh Mix, making sure the bottoms
of the leaves do not touch the soil. Put lid on, and set somewhere under good light
and a warm spot. I used my task lights under my kitchen cabinets.
The new AV's will grow out from the ends of the stems from under the soil.
Keep mix moist. (see pic. 2 and 3).

When they have a full rosette of leaves and look like real, small Av's--
remove the whole leaf with soil and, gently, separate the new AV.
Plant in a small container--like a yogurt cup.
Replant leaf for growing more babies--THEY WILL! There arealways
more than one at the bases--always--maybe just ifferent sizes.
Separate what is ready--re-plant the leaf and let the others grow on.

Easy--Peazy.......Gita

It's tough to decide which plants will be given room inside the house. There are too many out there for them to have prime spots. Docgipe gave me some Christmas Cactus years ago and told me to put them in a bright room with no direct sunlight. They did very well under these guidelines. I have sprinkled lots of the potted plants with the Systemic Granules that Gita recommended last year. It was the first year that I wasn't bothered with all kinds of critters on the plants. Even my EE;s and Cajun Hibiscus did well.

Roses---

Thanks for the feedback! It adds to the validity of what I suggested people to use.

I an trying hard to clear out and clean up all my "plant places" in the house.
Clean up racks and shelving. Most of the year--all these places get cluttered up
with all kinds of other junk, they are catch-alls.
I believe I am actually a tiny bit ahead of schedule. But--the weather can do a
nasty turn one night and then it is ALL PANIC!

Been stressing out a bit where to put all my 55 AV's. They haven't bloomed
for close to 3 years. About half of them are all "babies'--just getting going.
I am sure they don't get enough light and it is too cold when they all sit on the long
shelf under my LR picture window. They are about 3" from the glass. Brrrrrr...

So--re-potted them all--lovingly and carefully--and devised a new location for them.
So far--they have been under my light set-up. Great! But now I am bringing in cuttings
and they need the light more. Then the seed-starting will start, etc...

SO--I brought up one of my card-tables and put it in the corner of my DR,
I bought a hanging light and fixed it so it hangs above the table. I have a 100W CFL
bulb in there. I will see how this works....It is hard to measure how much light they get...
Hope it is enough.
The saga continues--as more things come in. G.

I am one of those that usually waits til the last minute to bring my plants indoors....
Hoping to work on that some this weekend.

Here is my latest streptocarpus...
Took me a year to acquire this beauty!

S. DS-The Red and The Black

That's a bloom worth waiting for Wild Rose

Temps will be dipping here starting Sunday. 42 for low overnight. getting close...
Heard on the radio this AM that we "may" get a real cold snap next week.
with a potential for (maybe) a bit of frosting.

I have to work on getting things in also. No matter the ups and downs of the temps--
it IS time to do it anyway...

G.

I have everything back inside as well. When we got home I noticed that the AV's are blooming beautifully. Really putting on a show.
I keep my watering can sitting on the floor near the plants and I always fill it back up before I set it back that way I can just reach for it when I need it. You are right Gita, it is easy to see a plant that needs attention and think I'll water it later and then never get back to it. I also keep a pretty spray bottle near by to mist the plants that like a bit of extra moisture. I was also pleased to have some mild success starting new AV plants this summer.

I think my AVs are salvageable, but the streps look pretty bad. After seeing all Karen's pretty photos last winter, I acquired 4 streps from the Violet Barn and 2 from the Philly Flower Show. Even though the plants were pretty small, all of them were flowering. I was really paying attention to them until mid summer and then started really neglecting them. Maybe I'll try again...

The bromeliad that David/greenthumb and Pat/ecnalg gave me has been sitting outside all summer. It now has a bloom on it! I'll be bringing it in this weekend.

Has anyone overwintered fountain grass, 'fireworks'? I love this plant and would like to save it, but it won't survive my zone 6, since it's only hardy to zone 9. If I bring it in and put in basement, do you think I should cut it down first? I've never had grasses before.

I am SOOOOO hoping to see my AV's bloom! They have not in over 2 years

As I posted earlier--I have now re-potted all 55 of mine. Many of those are
the New, small ones--so they are forgiven for not blooming.

I am hoping the re-potting and having them under the hanging light, and away
from the cold windows in the winter, will make a difference.

Holly--what do you do with your AV's that they are all blooming.
Please tell me anything special you do--where they sit--do you fertilize?--
with what and how often?--Do you "prune" or clean them up in any special way?

I will ask all this forever--to find out where i am amiss....

My Streps (2) were not doing too well either. I re-potted one of them in a clay pot--
as I have had it in a tall, vase-like ceramic pot--and it was sitting in too much
moisture. When I took it out--I could see that they do not real,ly have a deep
root system. Just a small bunch near the top. So--the clay pot may help.

Do Streps have a "bloom season"???

I AM happy to see that many of my CC's already have buds on them, especially the
ones JB sent me a couple years ago. They were each a different color.
Can't wait!
BTW--JB sends her best to all of us here. She says she misses us all-
but has found her new "home" on ATP. Those of you who also go there--look her up
and say "Hi".
I have "visited" her there--but am not familiar with their format. Feels strange...

Gita

Sorry Gita I mostly ignore them. Most of them are either in Violet pots or water trays. So once every week or two I throw a bit of water at them. I rarely feed them or re-pot them. Seems as everytime I try messing with them they have problems so I don't do more than clean off an occasional dead leaf or spent bloom. Most sit in a somewhat South Eastern window and a few are in a more Southerly window. Even the leafs that I started I ignored. I put them in a covered seed starting tray with the vents open and just put some water in the bottom and set them under a plant stand where they would get some shaded light. When I notice there isn't condensation on the tray lid I add a bit more water.

Well--

Holly--You know that i also practice a lot of 'ignoring" my plants.

After i mentioned to Jill one time that my AV's have not bloomed for ages--
she asked me if i have ever re-potted them. That made me pause--
as I had NOT.
I did not see any harm in potting them in some new soil--so i did all of them

I can tell you that--the baby AV's I had in bath cups have now, easily, doubled
in size. Looking really good!!
The older AV's underwent some serious trimming of straggly leaves, potting
deeper if they had formed a 'neck" and such. I sterilized all the pots they went back into.
All my AV's are in the typical 4" plastic AV pots. Like they are sold in.

Now they will live on the card table with a hanging light above it. See pic above.
I really DO think the cold from the window shelves may have been the reason.
I do not have deep window sills. Just 2" at the most. Then, the shelf is right against
the sill. and the foliage is just about touching the glass.
Light has been so-so--as I have the patio roof right outside of it.

In the winter--the sun is a lot lower, and so they did get some sun on bright days.

Now I wait to see the results of the re-potting. Gita

I don't think streps have a blooming "season". Young plants tend to bloom fairly quickly, as do plants that are recently re-potted.... at least in my experience. They do tend to have shallow root systems, and some people state that they prefer to be root-bound in order to flower, but I do not find that to be true. I can re-pot a small plant in a 3oz cup up to a 16oz cup, and it will be blooming it's head off in about six weeks. I will say that most streps do not like "old" soil mix and. Prefer to be re-potted about every 4-6 months. With the number I have, I just can't get around to doing it that often.

Karen

Thanks, Va Wild Rose---

That is very helpful. Gita

coleuslover123: I have that same fountain grass (Pennisetum setaceum 'Fireworks') and that same question about overwintering it. I plan to try to overwinter it indoors. I think I got it from Santa Rosa, and didn't notice that it wasn't hardy here. This site -- http://www.itsnotworkitsgardening.com/2010/12/overwintering-purple-fountain-grass.html -- suggests overwintering will work. The poster divided his plants (albeit a different cultivar) in the fall. I think it would be safer to wait until the spring to as not to prompt new growth just as they are going dormant, but I could be wrong.

Gita, I think I asked about this on some other thread, but didn't feel like going back and finding out which one. I got the cuttings from the brazilian plume flower and drastic cut back of the parent plant done last night. Here's hoping they take off and do well!

Teri--

Do you mean you drastically cut back your Plume?
And--you now have a bunch of cuttings? It wasn't clear to me
from what you wrote.

I think all the cuttings should root easily. I have NEVER lost one!
And--you should get some bloom on them next summer.
And--your mama plant should re-grow. No need to have it in full sun--
just bright light. One of my bigger surprises, a while back, was finding out
that the "Plume" actually prefers some shade (outside).
So--inside--any bright spot inside should be OK.

I cut mine back pretty severely to have a bunch of cuttings for the Spring Swap.
It was cute--as all the cuttings had the beginnings of a bloom at their tips--
and they all had some color on them as i gave them away.

My MAMA plant re-grew huge--and, as I speak (type) it has 3 blooms on it
and a couple more buds showing. I just brought her in 2 days ago....


here she be! Also--the rooted cuttings... Gita

1--Tha Mama
2--The 2 blooms colser--there are also 3 buds--2 on the right--one on the left--
if you can see them.
3--The 3 rooted cuttings i still have. the taller one (on the left) is from spring.
it has a big bloom but on top. It will look amazing when it pops...

That Brazilian Plume is so pretty!

I've refreshed our overwintering tropicals thread over here FYI and comments/additions
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1287323/#top

I have a question: For those of us who try to garden organically, is there a preferred method for getting rid of unwanted bugs when bringing in houseplants? Years ago I used a systemic and that worked great, but I don't want to do that anymore. The last few years I didn't do anything, and, well, that didn't work too well either. I am mulling about putting the plants in a garbage bag and putting a few puffs of a mild pyrethrum- based insecticide spray (maybe Raid?) into it. Maybe I should just spray with a soap spray?

Happy, I've been using diatomaceous earth with very good results. I don't think I've had to use neem this year. I did spray with fish emulsion earlier this year, but I won't be doing that indoors. :)

Strangely, I don't really get insects on my plants. It's powdery mildew and other fungal infections that I worry about.

I've heard that spraying with rosemary oil works well but I keep forgetting to order it!

My DH is convinced that diatomaceous earth is unsafe (there's no point in arguing with him), so I can't use that, but thanks for the suggestion. I'll look into rosemary oil.

Happy--
Diatromaceous Earth is powdered Silica. Silica is glass.

The main danger to humans from this is inhaling it. As that would mean
getting glass dust in your lungs. Other than that--just taking normal precautions,
like wearing a dust mask, should suffice.
I have never used it-as I do not have any issues in the house with insects on my plants.
And--that is BECAUSE I use Systemic Granules on every plant i will bring in.

DE is also supposed to be grood on top of the soil so no Fungus Gnats will lay eggs in it.
It is also great sprinkled around your plants outside that Slugs want to munch on.
They cannot crawl over it--as their soft undersides would get all cut up.

What is your husband's main concern?

As I see it--you either use what you have to use to get rid of insects and bugs--
or you have to put up with them.

The MAN at the wholesale GH said that they don't have much problems
with insects in their GH's. But--if they do--they spray their plants with H2O2
in the 1:9 solution. This would be as a foliage spray.
If you have issues in the soil--I do not know what to suggest. Maybe the same????
What effect would H2O2 have on the roots of the plants??? I do not know.,

Google it! The World's greatest information source. G,




This message was edited Oct 24, 2013 7:30 PM

Thanks. I still need to look into ssg's suggestion of using rosemary oil. And I hadn't heard of using hydrogen peroxide to kill bugs. I know it can be used as a soil drench.

There's a spray called Indoor Pharm that has rosemary oil. I got it at a Southern States. Can't say if it works or not.

ALL my plants are inside---would like to show you mu "jungle"...

1--By LR window--a bit dark...
2--Plants by DR window. DR table still full of my seeds collected this year.
3--Plants between LR and DR windows. Love that I saved the one remaining
stalk (out of 3) on this Shefflera Amate--one of my fave plants. It had a lot of scale.
4--A bit closer to the DR window and HB's.
5--My BIG Shiff. Arboricola. This plant is 22 years old. Easiest plant in the World!
I cut it back every other year and throw it outside...somewhere....

A few more--

1--Plants in my Bedroom under and over lights.
2--2 large plants by LR sofa . looking at entry door
3--Plants on one of the twin beds in my guest bedroom
4--My bigger CC's under kitchen task lights Great spot for them
5--Easter cacti by unused kitchen door....

It has been a haul getting everything situated.
Today--I took several boxed of plants, dug up DL divisions--some smaller iris roots-
Some Coleus--a bunch of bagged up Wandering jew cuttings--garlic Chive seed-heads--
etc to HD and set up a table by our lockers. I did not work, of course--went there
on my day off to do this. Almost all were gone when I left...

Now I have a bit more space in the LR area. Unheard of!!!!!
G.
It was a free-for-all.

Sally--
Here is the link to Pharm Solutions, Inc....
Check out all their products in the purple task bar on top.
It is located in Port Townsend, WA.

http://www.pharmsolutionsinc.com/

I suggest you all explore this site. I believe their products are very worthy
and totally organic. The prices are quite reasonable.

I have 2 bottles of it--purchased at DJ Liquidators. Probably old packaging...
but I used it on my Brugs and it seemed to help.
The one I had was "Veggie Pharm'. The one I have not used yet is
"Indoor Pharm".
It is a mixture of oils--and yes, Rosemary too 10%. Each one is a bit different.
And reading all it controls--it seems close to a "miracke drug"....

Gita