plants

does anyone have house plants or herbs that thrive in our PH climate? which type? start from seeds or buy them from...? need more green. thanks.

My basil, thyme and rosemary are going apeshit on my windowsill.

Oh, man. My husband can tell you some sob stories about trying to grow plants in our CH apartment! What survived: Spider plants (the curly ones are actually quite pretty), a staghorn fern, a small jade tree, an aloe plant (that's the happiest...it's HUGE now!), and a small cactus.

i have 3 orchids, only one of which is in bloom, the others hate me to the point of continuing to live quite nicely, yet never producing flowers. one crown of thorns that cannot be killed. an ivy that i ressurected from the dead. one of those generic broad leaf plants that begins with a p that also cannot be killed, and a bromeliad.

i need an orchid book i think, they probably don't hate me really.

Since I was spawned in a rural state, I tend to surround myself with plants. My living room is semi-jungle. There's greenery abounding and I've dug tiger pits in the bathroom. I fully enjoy prancing about my urban jungle, naked except for a pith helmet and a red velvet cape, singing the theme to the "Sound of Music". Sometimes I opt for the nun's habit for the full effect, but I can tell you this: it's the only way to fly.

It's a little bit better since moving to my current apartment I ditched an 8-foot tall Bird of Paradise plant that's just was not okay for a one bedroom Brooklyn apartment.

I was spawned quite rurally myself and feel deeply that a house is not a home without plants...however, railroad apartment = no light, and unfortunately the needy little buggers just insist on that stuff.

how do you care for the jade tree, bluedove? mine have always died in august... maybe they need a/c?!

daveb, did you start from seed for the rosemary or buy a tree - if so, how big? mine died but then i ate it.

It's not actually mine, it's my husband's, but as far as I can tell, he just waters it when it's dry and that's about it as far as "care" goes. Well, I can tell you that we keep it in between the windows (out of direct sunlight) and keep one of the shades drawn all summer to keep the heat down in that room. That room IS also where the a/c is, but we only run it at night. I think keeping it out of direct sunlight is key.

vanilla wrote: how do you care for the jade tree, bluedove? mine have always died in august... maybe they need a/c?!

daveb, did you start from seed for the rosemary or buy a tree - if so, how big? mine died but then i ate it.

From seed.

Subject: Re: plants

vanilla wrote: need more green. thanks.

I like this thread better than the Oklahoma kid one ... it's getting VERY heated over there ...

:shock:

http://www.hydroponics-growlights.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=169

daveb wrote: Since I was spawned in a rural state, I tend to surround myself with plants. My living room is semi-jungle. There's greenery abounding and I've dug tiger pits in the bathroom. I fully enjoy prancing about my urban jungle, naked except for a pith helmet and a red velvet cape, singing the theme to the "Sound of Music".

ah well you seem to be an expert! i hope you don't mind me asking a question then, how do you solve a problem like maria?

t-fal wrote: [quote=daveb]Since I was spawned in a rural state, I tend to surround myself with plants. My living room is semi-jungle. There's greenery abounding and I've dug tiger pits in the bathroom. I fully enjoy prancing about my urban jungle, naked except for a pith helmet and a red velvet cape, singing the theme to the "Sound of Music".

ah well you seem to be an expert! i hope you don't mind me asking a question then, how do you solve a problem like maria?

two words... rubber liederhosen

daveb wrote: My basil, thyme and rosemary are going apeshit on my windowsill.

I need some fresh herbage... do you get/need a lot of direct light? We get a ton of indirect light...

Hippies.

nybt wrote: [quote=daveb]My basil, thyme and rosemary are going apeshit on my windowsill.

I need some fresh herbage... do you get/need a lot of direct light? We get a ton of indirect light...

Sort of, those sit in the window and those that need less sit farther away. A little supplemental grow light might be in order for you.

has anyone tried to grow cherry or roma tomatoes in their apt. i get full afternoon sun and would love to take advantage of it.

Isa wrote: Hippies.

Peace.

the chia pet is supposed to grow in the dark, right? perfect for the railroad?

daveb wrote: [quote=nybt][quote=daveb]My basil, thyme and rosemary are going apeshit on my windowsill.

I need some fresh herbage... do you get/need a lot of direct light? We get a ton of indirect light...

Sort of, those sit in the window and those that need less sit farther away. A little supplemental grow light might be in order for you.
If you pump up your electric bill too much with the grow lights, the cops will be all over your little "herb" garden.

Carnivore wrote: [quote=daveb][quote=nybt][quote=daveb]My basil, thyme and rosemary are going apeshit on my windowsill.

I need some fresh herbage... do you get/need a lot of direct light? We get a ton of indirect light...

Sort of, those sit in the window and those that need less sit farther away. A little supplemental grow light might be in order for you.
If you pump up your electric bill too much with the grow lights, the cops will be all over your little "herb" garden.

Not so anymore. The grow lights available over the past few years provide serious lighting and suck up the same wattage as your average lightbulb. Wish i could remember the name of the brand.

I actually don't use any, but this thread has got me thinking about it since every winter here, I watch my plants decline and and then bounce back as Spring rolls in. perhaps some supplemental lighting is in order.

If I were to employ some grow lights, I'd have to go with something that doesn't look like the typical "dude, I've got some weed growin' in my closet!" lights... always reminds me of my pops during the lean years... :roll:

vanilla wrote: the chia pet is supposed to grow in the dark, right? perfect for the railroad?

Well...yes, I guess technically

By the way, I was corrected last night: It's not a jade plant, it's a ficas. (He kept calling it a jade at first and I guess it stuck!)

my bamboo is thriving.
then again, i water it like once a month

bluedove wrote: [quote=vanilla]the chia pet is supposed to grow in the dark, right? perfect for the railroad?

Well...yes, I guess technically

By the way, I was corrected last night: It's not a jade plant, it's a ficas. (He kept calling it a jade at first and I guess it stuck!)
Isn't that the one that MIchael Moore backed in an election against Bush the Younger?

daveb wrote: I actually don't use any, but this thread has got me thinking about it since every winter here, I watch my plants decline and and then bounce back as Spring rolls in. perhaps some supplemental lighting is in order.

I dunno--I think you're supposed to let them rest a bit. If you trick them into thinking it's the growing season all year 'round, they get really spindly. And weak. Perfect targets for bullies!

But what do I know: we moved to a garden apt. and all of our plants have croaked. Can anyone recommend any plants besides the ever-present philodendrons that need ZERO light? I had no idea how dark this place was going to be. I might need a growlight for my own damn self.

where can one acquire a grow light in the neighbourhood? i was told flatbush & atlantic, but is there somewhere closer? our bedrooms get NO light. fun!

Vanilla they sell them at Pintchek (which I pass on my way home). If you are coming tonight I can pick one up for you and bring it to Soda with me.

t-fal wrote: has anyone tried to grow cherry or roma tomatoes in their apt. i get full afternoon sun and would love to take advantage of it.

Tomato plants need to be grown outdoors in order to flower & produce tomatos. That being said, if you get at least four hours of full sun in your window, you should be able to grow cherry tomatos & patio tomatos in a window box.
For herbs, there is a stand at the GAP farmer's market that sells herbs. I've bought many things there. They can grow inside or out as long as they get lots of sun. Most herbs grow very easily from seed. I buy lots of seeds at BBG. I'm not sure if they would have much of a selection this time of year, though. They also have a huge selection of gardening books you can browse through.

teamkaty wrote:
But what do I know: we moved to a garden apt. and all of our plants have croaked. Can anyone recommend any plants besides the ever-present philodendrons that need ZERO light? I had no idea how dark this place was going to be. I might need a growlight for my own damn self.

Jade plants, spider plants and all many types of ferns do well with low light. Also those bamboo sticks that you just stick in water.

stacey wrote: Vanilla they sell them at Pintchek (which I pass on my way home). If you are coming tonight I can pick one up for you and bring it to Soda with me.

thanks, stacey! but i won't be at soda tonight. where//what is pintchek?