Indoor Gardens March 2014 Mid Atlantic

Coming from...
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1348162/#post_9789294
where we recently gazed upon Gita's bountiful indoor garden, or a small portion of it, really!

Great picture to start us off.

AAAWWW-Thanks, Sally....

My March, 2014 Living Room jungle--immortalized....
Gita

I was cleaning around my plants and found a bunch of tiny green balls- seeds from my little palm plant, one of those neanthe belle palms that come as babies in planters? I'm going to plant some, for kicks.

And going to start urging the dormant Brugs, and Plumerias and EEs into growth- warmer spot, more light, or potting up and watering a bit. This sun has me thinking summer will get here after all.

Dr Seuss Brug still looks like death not even warmed over. Watering has not gotten any growth started.

OK!!!!!

Pictures of my Amaryllis time---Enjoy!

I counted--it has 15 open blooms on it and there are 3 more stalks with
buds on them coming up. Most of the buds have had 3 or 4 blooms on them.

Also-there are two of the smaller pots with white Amaryllis are also opening up.

Wonder what's up this year with these bulbs???? They are amazing!
I do remember that, way earlier this winter--I took them all out of the pots
--the whole clumps--shook off some of the old soil and put fresh soil on the bottom
and top--with time-release fertilizer in it. Maybe that is the reason for this "SHOW"...

BTW--this is a 14" pot--and, as I have said--the bulbs are all about 12 years old.
It started out with 5 bulbs--but, over time, they made a couple pups--which, it seems,
I have removed. Maybe the one in the smaller pot is one of them.

More pictures in a couple of days...G.

OOH! So dramatic!

Wow how delightful!

Could not resist the sun. I potted two pink Brugs to try and get them going. Each had some sign of life, of course darn it I broke a little nubbin branch off one of them while potting it. Maya Brug is already in her pot just needs a trim and water. Tomorrow, I will put some kind of pot on the big Plumeria and try to let it start growing. Little cutting Plumeria is going in the sunny windowsill for daytimes, for warmth. I think I am excited for spring!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Beautiful amaryllis, Gita!! So many blooms!

I cooked all day--so did not get outside at all.

Made those BQ pork spare ribs--a BIG batch! They are soo good!
Then 2lbs. of Green beans--with leeks and bacon--some caraway seed, .lemon and Soy.

Tomorrow, or Sat. will continue--with some red potatoes...I like to par-boil them,
or Nuke them a bit, and then cut them in slices and fry them up in a pan
in Bacon fat with herbs and seasonings. All this would make many servings
of some good food. Come on over, Sally!

Will try to do some gardening tomorrow or Sat. Maybe trim the two big Junipers and,
maybe, dig up and separate the ferns. Getting too ambitious here....

Saturday will be gorgeous weather!!! I bet HD is going to be mobbed!
G.

Beautiful Amaryllis, Gita. I grew my first one this year. The food sound awesome also.

Starting to run out of room as things get larger!! Lot's more under lights downstairs and 55 jugs outside (winter sown)

wow, Roses, they all look so healthy!

Roses---

Your Brazilian Plume looks so healthy! Mine is big too--but has dropped
a lot of bottom leaves. Some of it is because I cannot keep track of the gallons
of water it needs...so the leaves yellow a bit and drop off..

Also--it has grown big and may need a total pruning. It is in its 2nd year w/o
pruning. it IS a woody-stemmed plant--needs good room for roots.

If you want to--you can cut back all the growing tips and root them...easy!
But, I bet you don't want to. Looks like you will have show of blooms this summer...
Just remember--it does best in dappled shade.

You are growing a lot of herbs too--right? Your Rosemary is huge!
You CAN leave it outside for the winter--it IS a perennial. It can even grow into
a big shrub--if you let it.
I cut mine back severely--as I think this winter did a number on it. It WILL re-grow!

Do I see a big pot of parsley too? Is this from last year? If it is--it will want to
bloom (bolt) this year. Cut off the stem asap--and you will get a 2nd year of
a crop. Third year???? I don't think so....

Keep on trucking! Gita

I've lots of dill already, also. Soon the empty looking pots will have chives, basil and sage in them (I hope). I was away when the Brugs that you gave me were hit by frost last year, otherwise they would be in there also. My garage is filled with callas, cannas, elephant ears and etc. that couldn't fit inside. We'll see if they've survived the winter in there.

Looks great Roses, The house is just filled with plants.

Roses - I am always amazed with the amount of seeds you grow every year. Awesome.

My Brazilian Plume cutting from Gita several years ago is still hanging on. This year when I brought it inside for the winter, it had gotten leggy so I cut it back. I tried rooting the cuttings, but I don't seem to have the touch, because they died almost right away. The original plant has been growing nice and full again from the trim back though.

Terri, I needed lots of stuff to keep my busy when I retired. I feel lost and useless when I don't have anything to do but shop and wait for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Getting involved in gardening, babysitting and community affairs has kept me from being bored. When I was busy with working every day, I had very little time for this. We built the house that we always wanted, in an area that we desired AFTER retiring. Weren't ready for the little condo that our family was trying to talk us into. We're here 9 years and will stay until it gets too much for us.

I'm looking forward to your swap!! That's what keeps me babying all my seedlings. Need to keep them in good shape for their new owners.

terri--
Sorry to hear that. I take the cuttings--( ~4"-5") strip off the bottom leaves
and put them in new mix. As I do not need the lights in the winter for seeds
--all cuttings go under my lights. That's it. Keep moist--and then water as needed.

Perhaps it is best to take cuttings right after it blooms?? Outside....

I am sure your Mama will bloom beautifully this summer.... G.

If you're talking about my Brugs, Gita, they were mushy and done when I got back home from a two week emergency baby sitting stay.

My Brazillian Plume is looking pretty good a bit bare lower on the branches but it was one of the survivors in the GH. I really should do cuttings but that may wait till we return from the vacation and not too sure how much space we will have when the plugs come in.

funny, my Braz Plume is ding the bare bottom thing too

So is mine---Not a surprise--as it is such a woody stemmed plant.
Maybe it is deciduous?

Mine is quite large--and has a lot of bare stems. Every time it goes dry--
like every 3 days....--it drops a bunch of leaves. it is such a water-hog!

To me--it looks pretty ugly right now...But--I will et it fill in once I take it outside--
and am hoping for a lot of blooms on it.
I have cut it back in the past quite low--and it always re-grew very well.
The blooms come on the stem tips.

Here it is--YES! I even have plants on my guest beds,,,, It is easily 2' tall.

Last night I hacked up the cordyline that I got on clearance last fall. I should have done this sooner if I actually want plants for this summer, but I didn't have the courage to do it. Anyway, I looked at the poor plant last night, saw that it was starting to get really leggy and I just decided to take the plunge, whatever happens happens... I read up on the internet about how to do it, so I'm sure I'm an expert now. :/

I cut most of the leaves off, then chopped off the top of the plant. This part I stuck in a jar of water.

I cut several little logs off the stalk. These I laid on their sides in a dish, about a 1/4 filled with water.

I left the poor stump in the pot, watered and fertilized it.

So we shall see!



This message was edited Mar 27, 2014 7:10 AM

typwc, I am very interested in seeing your results. Please let us know how it works out. If it doesn't work out I should have a few extra for the swap.

Will do, Holly! It would be great if you could earmark one of your extras for me, just in case! :)

Have you rooted cordyline cuttings, Holly? I normally grow them as annuals and never thought of keeping them over winter or propagating them.

learn by doing typwc. I learn about plants by experiencing them and experimenting with them.. why not? its only a plant.

I just started some begonia cuttings. How long does it take for them to root?

Karen.

Years ago--like everything i remember---maybe in the late 60's--I was sent a "Ti Plant"
section of a "log"--supposedly from Hawaii. This is before I ever knew much about gardening...
The directions were to lay the piece of stem horizontally in a dish of water. immersed
half way--- and wait, And--lo and behold--it sprouted and grew.
I know now that you can also root a Brug stem the same way. Just make sure there are
enough "eyes" that sprouts will come from.

Well--the "Ti Plant" was nothing more than a Cordilyne. I know that now.

Sorry--I don't remember anything more about how it grew--IF it grew--nothing...
It seems that there is NO particular "magic" about rooting these..."Easy--Peezy"---
I must say--that the woody sections of "logs" were really woody.
From your picture above--they do not look woody--except one.
Most of the cuttings you took are just below the leaves...They may root--or may not.
I don't know...Try it--what do you have to lose?

Much like the cuttings I take of brugs. ONLY the woody stem ones--
NOT the still green, soft tip growths. They never rooted for me...just rot...
G.

Gita, you're right about the woody vs. non-woody parts. I definitely agree that the ones that aren't woody could be a problem. Anyway, it's worth a shot! Each of the "logs" are only about 2 inches long.

No, I have never tried it before. But they are a plant that I really enjoy and they looked so good in my planters last year.

Hey Sally or anybody, What is that Neem Oil/Alcohol recipe I can't find it. I know what I want to put in it but can't remember the portions.

My pink Amaryllis is now in bloom--the red ones are slowly fading away.

These are from 2 different pots....close together....
I should have a white one to bloom yet as well--whenever....

They're beautiful, Gita!

tapla's Neem Recipe

1 pint rubbing alcohol
1 pint very hot water
1 tsp pure, cold-pressed neem oil
3-4 drops Murphy's oil soap

Add neem & soap to hot water & shake well. Add alcohol. Spritz plants thoroughly, covering all surfaces - especially underside of leaves & leaf axils. Be sure to shake vigorously as you use the spritzer to keep the neem mixed with the solution. Works great - the neem oil renders all the insects it contacts unable to complete metamorphosis or reproduce, while the alcohol provides reasonable knock-down for current generations.

Thanks Sally, I had it saved in the other computer that crashed. I could remember the ingredients but not the quantities.

Tonight I sowed some seeds and took some cuttings from one of my other favorite coleus. This one came from Gita and I don't know what the name is. It is so gorgeous. Here are two of the stems that went for cutting. It complements the Velvet Mocha nicely and I look forward to featuring both of them in my front yard bed this year.

Karen--
I don't know the name either--but it can lighten or darken depending on the light.
The ONE cutting that I have of it under ,u lights is almost cream color.

Talking about Coleus cuttings---have you taken any from the velvet mocha?
I need to decide--as the orig. plant is really big--the one with the leaves
changing colors--I don't even know that IF I take a cutting from the changed
growing tips --will it stay the same--or will it revert ti the mocha??

Do you remember this picture? #3 (by my BR window) is the only one holding true.
The others are by my low-light LR window.
Have any good ideas??? I have not taken any cuttings of this one yet--
not of the VERY dark one. I need to do that asap.
G.

Gita, my VM was always under 16hrs/day light, so it never acted out like yours. Yes, I took 9 cuttings a while back. I want to keep at least 6 of those plants for myself. Critter asked for some a while back too. Here's the picture of them about a week ago. My little baby VMs are all doing well, as is the mother plant! New growth on every one.

I think you ought to take cuttings from the ones that look normal, and avoid the wonky ones. They may go back to what you want, but then again they may not. I figure you probably don't have enough space in your house to waste it on ugly cuttings, right? ;) Genetics are weird! I think the real question is, How many plants do you really need to have this summer? If I were you, I'd just save the space for something else.

Just my two cents.

Karen--Your 2 cents is always appreciated....

Are your cuttings stem cuttings? I don't see a growing tip on any of them...
Are the light green ones the Wasabi Coleus? I will have a bunch of those too.
These stems are SO long--why not take stem cuttings?

Finished all my seeds today--except the ones that have to be soaked.
Glad that is over! Man! I will have Zinnias out my ying-yang...Love Zinnias.

AND--Karen--ALL the seeds I planted from my double yellow Hirta are up!!!.
So many--it looks like moss in the tray. Happy dance----
I think yours are coming up too- have to look again.
G.

****I have 3 seeds of the "Gas Plant". Some one that sent me other seeds
included this as a surprise...
After I read all about it--I do not want to grow it. Someone with more room--maybe.

Anyone want these 3 seeds??? G.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dictamnus