tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31411085661777955942024-03-05T09:30:32.856-05:00Indoor Gardening - My Aerogarden and Houseplant BlogA day-to-day diary reporting on my experiences with my indoor garden, dedicated to gardeners like me who's been relegated to apartment and office living and seeks to exercise an itchy green thumb.Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00771730286325107611noreply@blogger.comBlogger197125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3141108566177795594.post-41726320704886278602016-07-24T16:28:00.000-04:002016-07-25T09:39:00.973-04:00Basil as a houseplant: growing basil indoors all year roundAnd...we're back!<br />
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It's been about a year since I hung up this blog, but my green thumb is back.<br />
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For the time being, I figured I'd take a break from the hydroponics and go back to container gardening. There are a number of interesting products out there, from <a href="http://amzn.to/2a6ztyG" target="_blank">brand new Aerogardens</a> (I see that AeroGrow has released the "Bounty" that contains nine pods, 24 inch extendable arm and full spectrum LED which looks really intriguing) to a relatively new player called <a href="http://amzn.to/29Uo0Of" target="_blank">Click and Grow</a>, to some interesting products such as <a href="http://amzn.to/2agqBpK" target="_blank">this aquaponic garden</a> from Back to the Roots where you can raise both herbs and fish! Still no word from NIWA, but I assume they're still working on their offering as well.<br />
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At some point I'll see if I can scrounge up the $$ to get these to review them, but in the meantime I thought I'd go completely old school. No hydroponics, no aeroponics, no aquaponics, just growing basil as a houseplant.<br />
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Now it wasn't that long ago that I had more basil than I knew what to do with. You remember those days--I was making margherita pizza and caprese salads and pesto and basil ice cream and everything else I could think of.<br />
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Well, I was a little basiled out after a while, but recently I had a craving again for margherita pizza, so at a local farm stand I bought a bunch of it, freshly picked from the farms on Long Island. But then my wife made the mistake of putting the basil in the refrigerator (a no-no), and within a day it was ruined--black, soaked, and mushy.<br />
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And so I went to the local supermarket. There were bunches of cut basil from New Jersey and I picked up another bunch. I harvested about 20-30 leaves to use for a pizza, and another 10-20 to use for a caprese salad, but there were dozens of other leaves remaining. This time we didn't put it in the refrigerator, but even so within 24 hours they were shriveled since they didn't have a water source.<br />
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And so just like that we were out about $7. But luckily in both cases I had the foresight to save a couple stalks to basil and root them.<br />
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Growing basil from cuttings is one of the easiest things you'll do,<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihSycwhOFYiYIpMSx4RhUV2aJQCcJuzjHiFcsbkh7WYMqXZDLMIQZ3XgRcgoPCFoRE4F-Bpeao42tX0FNRemHsp9p18xT6WoazLzTOAuqDXGU4NaywxFzoFA_YhRypByIcWKGryHUEdTo/s640/blogger-image-1671798.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihSycwhOFYiYIpMSx4RhUV2aJQCcJuzjHiFcsbkh7WYMqXZDLMIQZ3XgRcgoPCFoRE4F-Bpeao42tX0FNRemHsp9p18xT6WoazLzTOAuqDXGU4NaywxFzoFA_YhRypByIcWKGryHUEdTo/s320/blogger-image-1671798.jpg" width="240" /></a>
<li>Take a fresh branch of basil with lots of healthy looking leaves.</li>
<li>Strip off the leaves at the bottom. This is important because any leaves that fall below the water line are going to grow bacteria</li>
<li>Fill a clean, empty bottle with lukewarm water.</li>
<li>Cut the bottom stem of the basil at an angle, under running water.<br />|</li>
<li>Place it in the water, again making sure that only stem and no leaves are below the water line.</li>
<li>Fill the water every few days. Your basil will be thirsty and drink up a lot of water.</li>
<li>Pretty soon you'll see little roots growing out, just like it looks to the right.</li>
</ol>
Congratulations, it's time to transplant them!<br />
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To transplant them, just take a houseplant pot, fill it about 3/4 of the way with regular potting soil. Pour a little water in to mix it into clay (think back to making mud pies as a kid) and then dig a little hole.<br />
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Put the plant into the pot so that the newly formed root ball is fully covered. </div>
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If you're putting more than one plant, make sure they're spaced out enough so both have room to grow.</div>
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Fill the rest of the pot with dirt, and water it, covering enough of the stem to ensure that the plant is stable, will be able to take root, and won't fall over. You may need to try this a few times, as whenever you add water the loose soil will shift, Don't worry too much about over-watering at this stage--remember that the plants just came from a 100% water environment. Just like a baby needs to adapt from amniotic fluid to solid food, your plant needs to acclimate itself to its new home.<br />
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Place it in a sunny window and make sure to water it every few days. Some of the leaves might wilt or die because of the shock, but basil is especially resilient and as long as the stalk is thick and green your leaves will come.<br />
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Congratulations! You're the proud owner of a new houseplant. And the next time you need a little or a lot of basil, you can go right to your window to pick it. In fact, all of the tips I've shared in the past apply here. Prune it often (even if you don't need the basil, prune it anyway), and make sure to prune from the top and cut the plant just above where one stalk splits into two. </div>
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I'd suggest keeping them separate from other houseplants until you're 100% sure there aren't any little critters sneaking a ride--as we've seen, once fungus gnats, spider mites or aphids discover herb plants, the plants don't have much of a chance, if not of surviving then of being able to be served at the dinner table.<br />
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From time to time you'll need to fertilize, just use regular Miracle Gro plant food.<br />
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As much as I love hydroponics, the nice thing about going "old school" like this is that you don't pay for electricity, for grow lights, for seed pods, or anything like that. And instead of dumping unused basil in the garbage, I'm keeping it alive so that the money I spent on the original basil will end up paying for itself over and over again. As long as you remember to water them and feed them, they'll serve you for a very, very long time.<br />
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Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00771730286325107611noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3141108566177795594.post-81339345856389453652015-07-31T11:33:00.000-04:002016-07-25T10:01:26.772-04:00So long...for a whileSorry that my posts in 2015 have been so sporadic, but it's for pretty good reason. In August, I have another "little sprout" coming. It's our first baby and she'll be a little girl. And so the time I'd otherwise spend tending to my plants, I'm going to be using to tend to her.<br />
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So, a lot of folks have been asking...whatever happened to the strawberries? Well, after my last post a few months ago I did have a few more harvests, but the strawberries never quite got as prolific nor as big as I'd hoped. I think this is just a natural drawback of AeroGarden's "grow bowl". The roots of the plants can't grow deep, so they just kind of spread around the shallow bowl. As such, the plants never quite felt anchored or stable.<br />
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What did my strawberries in, though, were the critters, Having an open bowl with organic plant material and water is like putting out a welcome mat for all kinds of bugs, including our old friend the fungus gnats. After a while it just wasn't worth it anymore.<br />
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And so that's it for now. I've packed my Aerogardens away for the time being, but don't worry, I'll be back. I still have my houseplants that I'll be writing about from time to time, and as new hydroponic technology hits the scene such as <a href="http://www.indoorgardener.org/2014/05/the-niwa-next-generation-indoor-garden.html" target="_blank">the NIWA</a>, I'll definitely post about it here.<br />
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See you in a bit :)Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00771730286325107611noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3141108566177795594.post-36694144700910206672015-06-17T14:18:00.000-04:002016-07-25T09:39:53.368-04:00Indoor Herb Gardening Tips: Growing 101 for Basil, Rosemary, Parsley, Thyme, Oregano, and MintI used to maintain a site called IndoorHerbGarden.org, but I decided to retire it and focus all my effort on this blog. This is a page that I was especially proud of, as it represented the culmination of all my years of indoor herb gardening. Enjoy :)<br />
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<b>Tips for growing Basil indoors </b><br />
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<ul>
<li>Basil plants hate the cold. Keep them in a warm place, preferably in full sunlight. </li>
<li>Cut the plant from the top--this will encourage new growth. Just snip off the top stem right above where it meets four sets of leaves below it. The four sets of leaves will grow and become the top of the plant, ready for harvesting. </li>
<li>If you see flowers form, snip them off. This will improve growth of the plant and improve the flavor. </li>
<li>Harvest and prune often, even if you don't need it right away. The more you harvest, the more it'll grow. </li>
<li>Basil can be freezed. Just put individual basil leaves in a freezer bag, and store it in the freezer. You can take it out any time. </li>
<li>Basil can't be refrigerated directly. If you need to store them for a short period of time, drop them in a glass of water and put that in the fridge. That will last you a few days. </li>
<li>Cut off flowers as soon as you see them appear. This will keep your plant producing and keep the leaves savory. </li>
<li>Watch out for aphids. </li>
<li><b>Favorite recipes: </b>Margherita Pizza, Chicken and Basil, Pesto </li>
</ul>
<b>Tips for growing Rosemary indoors </b><br />
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<ul>
<li>Keep Rosemary constantly moist, but never, ever let the roots be oversaturated or sit in water. The best policy is to look at your container's drain holes--if the dirt is damp, there's no need to water. Let the soil dry out between watering, but of course, don't let it stay dry for too long. Rosemary must be in a well-drained container. </li>
<li>6-8 hours of full sun is important. </li>
<li>Make sure your room has good air circulation. </li>
<li>Repot at least once a year, as the soil will lose its nutrients over time. </li>
<li>Rosemary can be frozen in small freezer bags. </li>
<li>Watch out for aphids and spider mites. </li>
<li><b>Favorite recipes:</b> Herb butter, grilling meat, foccacia. </li>
</ul>
<b>Tips for growing Parsley indoors</b><br />
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<ul>
<li>Parsley makes a great breath freshener. It's great to chew on, for example, after eating a dish with too much garlic. </li>
<li>Parsley also is very rich in Vitamin A and Vitamin C, as well as calcium and iron. </li>
<li>It grows best in full sun. </li>
<li>Parsley is ready to harvest once its leaves begin to curl and when it's produced stems with three segments. Harvest the larger leaves at the outside of the plant first just above ground level, and allow the newer interior shoots to mature. This will encourage faster growth. </li>
<li>Parsley comes in two varieties: curly leaf and flat leaf. The flat leaf variety is preferred for cooking and chopping due to its stronger flavor and ease of handling. </li>
<li>Pick parsley early in the day when the oils are strongest. </li>
<li>Watch out for aphids!</li>
<li><b>Favorite recipes: </b>garnish, stuffing, soup, tabouli, sauce. </li>
</ul>
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<b>Tips for growing Thyme indoors</b><br />
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<ul>
<li>Thyme is one of the easiest herbs to grow. It's best to plant them in loose and fast-draining soil which is not very fertile. </li>
<li>Thyme can be grown as an herb or as an attractive and fragrant plant due to their beautiful little purplish-white flowers. They can actually repel some harmful insects from your other plants due to their fragrance. </li>
<li>To harvest, just snip leaves off as needed. </li>
<li>To dry thyme for storage, harvest sprigs in the early autumn, tie them together, and hand them upside-down in a warm, well-ventilated, and shady area. You can store the dried leaves in a container with a tight lid. </li>
<li><b>Favorite recipes:</b> flavoring sauces, fish, meat dishes, soup and stews. </li>
</ul>
<b>Tips for growing Oregano indoors </b></div>
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<ul>
<li>As oregano plants start to flower, pinch off the flower buds. This will help the plants grow and will improve the flavor. </li>
<li>Pick the leaves early in the morning for the best taste and aroma. </li>
<li>Start harvesting when plants are about eight inches tall and have at least a dozen leaves. Just pinch the leaves off the plants and cut back the plant about three inches once you have harvested all the leaves. </li>
<li>Oregano will produce a stronger flavor if you do NOT add fertilizer to the plant. </li>
<li>Oregano is not as easy as other herbs to grow indoors. You should have a grow light on it at least 12 hours. Be sure NOT to overwater it--only water when the soil is dry. </li>
<li><b>Favorite recipes:</b> Anything Italian! Spaghetti sauce, pizza, meats, stews, stuffing, and breads.</li>
</ul>
<b>Tips for growing Mint indoors </b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivXlYG8ijv3YZoHxgrS2DWhM8qPUz44JiEbG2DCR3Kpvy2WzQ_bapNqLPI7ZBIODhCdvglLE9W8AtiY6J_KS4n2gTrkxUFw6CC7i2zgWddWBQqd9FElOOw3AIYTVR8iWR-2wPEQU8-ZQY/s1600/mint-tips.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="mint leaves" border="0" height="205" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivXlYG8ijv3YZoHxgrS2DWhM8qPUz44JiEbG2DCR3Kpvy2WzQ_bapNqLPI7ZBIODhCdvglLE9W8AtiY6J_KS4n2gTrkxUFw6CC7i2zgWddWBQqd9FElOOw3AIYTVR8iWR-2wPEQU8-ZQY/s320/mint-tips.jpg" title="" width="320" /></a></div>
<ul>
<li>Crush or chop prior to use--this brings out the flavor.</li>
<li>Mint is a great herb to grow indoors, as it is extremely hardy. </li>
<li>Prune frequently for optimal growth. Clip stems liberally to shape plants and keep fresh new leaves coming on. </li>
<li>New leaves are the best for cooking. </li>
<li><b>Favorite recipes: </b>Mint julep and other tall, cool drinks! Desserts, sauces (particularly for lamb), and jelly. Try tossing some mint leaves into hot chocolate or black tea! </li>
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Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00771730286325107611noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3141108566177795594.post-32999741476204755312015-05-10T01:56:00.000-04:002016-07-25T10:04:53.700-04:00Rubber Plant (Ficus robusta) - Best Air Purifying Plant #9<i>Once there was a silly old ant.</i><br />
<i>Thought he could move a rubber tree plant.</i><br />
<i>Everyone knows an ant. Can't.</i><br />
<i>Move a rubber tree plant.</i><br />
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For some reason, every time I look at my <i>Ficus robusta, </i>#9 on our air cleaning plants list,<i> </i>this song pops into my head. Now technically a "rubber tree plant" is a <i>Ficus elastica</i>, which can grow up to 50 to 100 feet tall (which an ant definitely can't move). The <i>Ficus robusta </i>is a variety of this species bred specifically to serve as an ornamental plant. Commonly called a "rubber plant", this ornamental plant was bred to have broader, stiffer, and more upright leaves than its gigantic cousin.<br />
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I looked for a very, very long time to find a plant like this. I ended up going to the annual plant sale at the Brooklyn Botanical Garden, one of our local gardens, and even then I got the second to last one on the first day of the sale. People love these.<br />
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If you're looking for one you might have some luck <a href="http://amzn.to/2a7O1JW" target="_blank">finding a plant on Amazon</a>, a number of sellers are selling both the Elastica and the Robusta. Either one makes a nice houseplant.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSxF7it4H6VrqP4UYj07-Gg98EidUp9wxa4kAcPcNd2_T2Zuox3q-f7yJWhdFDiAK2R4kVpJ56znorK04bBAVKaFB6CCxrDQMI8U1RkLO4Kcn3EHu5zmybtiPJvOEesn-MGVuTXFHNTNo/s640/blogger-image--517283271.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSxF7it4H6VrqP4UYj07-Gg98EidUp9wxa4kAcPcNd2_T2Zuox3q-f7yJWhdFDiAK2R4kVpJ56znorK04bBAVKaFB6CCxrDQMI8U1RkLO4Kcn3EHu5zmybtiPJvOEesn-MGVuTXFHNTNo/s640/blogger-image--517283271.jpg" /></a></div>
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This species of plant is native to Asia, including India, Nepal, Malaysia, Indonesia, Bhutan, Burma, and parts of China. It's actually not used to make commercial rubber, at least not anymore, although there was a time that the creamy, sticky substance in the leaf was used for that purpose, and the name stuck. The leaves can get pretty big, upwards of 10 inches long and 5 inches wide if you let it. <br />
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It's important to keep the soil of a rubber plant moist--if it becomes dry the plant will interpret this as a dry season approaching and start to shed some of its leaves.On the other hand, you don't want to water it too much or the leaves will turn yellow. That said, a little overwatering and underwatering are fine, as the plant is very forgiving.<br />
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When new leaves grow, it makes for one of the most beautiful plants in the house with its thick, sturdy leaves. This plant rates 9 out of 10 for removing chemicals in the air.<br />
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<b>Care Tips</b><br />
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1) Ensure that the plant is in a place where it gets bright indirect light throughout the day. Some direct sunlight in the morning is fine.<br />
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2) Water the plant thoroughly and let it dry out partially before you water it again.<br />
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3) Wash the leaves from time to time with a clean, wet cloth.<br />
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4) Use a well-draining potting soil.<br />
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5) Repot every 36 months<br />
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Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00771730286325107611noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3141108566177795594.post-7955844003469243282015-04-08T10:55:00.000-04:002016-07-21T13:23:30.914-04:00Alternative Aerogarden Sponges and Pods to Grow Your Own Veggies and HerbsFor the last few years I've been growing everything in my Aerogarden--herbs, strawberries, tomatoes, peppers, flowers, It's been a great experience, but one frustrating thing to me is that all too often the price of the replacement seed pods and its are sometimes so expensive that they wipe out any cost savings I might have gotten by growing my own plants indoors.<br />
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So something I've started doing is growing my own seeds.<br />
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01DFVD6GA/ref=as_li_ss_il?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&linkCode=li2&tag=namethathymnl-20&linkId=8cb7e16354f6d086b3e872c4272e9e7f" target="_blank"><img align="right" border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B01DFVD6GA&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=namethathymnl-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=namethathymnl-20&l=li2&o=1&a=B01DFVD6GA" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />Aerogarden sells its own <a href="http://amzn.to/2a5rKAy" target="_blank">complete set of grow sponges, grow domes, grow baskets, and grow labels</a> on Amazon for over $55.00. It's the most complete set you can get, but it comes at a price. You get 50 replacement pods but the price comes out to over $1 a pod (without seeds). You can also buy their <a href="http://amzn.to/29XLplt" target="_blank">Grow Anything Kit</a> that comes with enough for 5 pods and liquid plant food for a little over $10 (again, convenient but more than $2 a pod)<br />
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If you're the type of person who just wants to get it done and don't mind paying a little extra for convenience, this is a great kit to get. On the other hand, if you're like me and a little more frugal (read: cheap), here's way you can save a ton of money and achieve the same results.<br />
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First, be sure to SAVE your plastic grow domes when you use an Aerogarden seed kit. It's tempting to throw them away once your plants outgrow them, but throw them in a drawers.<br />
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Second, once you've retired an old Aerogarden crop, throw away the growth sponge which likely has is filled with roots by now. But save the the grow basket and sanitize it using hot water and soap. If the label is still in good shape you can save that as well, but if not it's easy enough to achieve the same effect (which is to keep the seeds dark and hydrated while germinating) using a little piece of aluminum foil or a thick piece of paper cut to fit.<br />
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Miracle-Gro-AeroGarden-50-Pack-Grow-Sponges/dp/B008DY2U8K/ref=as_li_ss_il?s=lawn-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1468941335&sr=1-10&keywords=aerogarden+pod&linkCode=li2&tag=namethathymnl-20&linkId=dc0c6a3cbf18ce42f7ec1af649ed8232" target="_blank"><img align="left" border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B008DY2U8K&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=namethathymnl-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=namethathymnl-20&l=li2&o=1&a=B008DY2U8K" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />Then, you need to buy replacement grow sponges. AeroGarden <a href="http://amzn.to/29XL9D0" target="_blank">sells a pack of 50 of those for $17.95</a>, as well as <a href="http://amzn.to/29RENBp" target="_blank">a pack of 70 plus liquid plant food for $24.95</a>. There's also a seller who sells alternative pods for <a href="http://amzn.to/29XMgmb" target="_blank">$5.99 for 25</a>, but when you factor in shipping costs you're only saving $2,36, so I'd go with the Aerogarden brand.<br />
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By doing a little recycling, you can get your per-pod cost down to only 36 cents a pod, plus keep just a little more plastic out of the landfills.<br />
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Finally, you need to go out and get seeds. Since you have a lot of pods to play with now's your time to experiment. You're going to want to find plants that grow from a single stalk and don't get too big too fast. The consensus out there is that these types of plants will enjoy the most success:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Herbs (of course)</li>
<li>Lettuce</li>
<li>Tomatoes</li>
<li>Peppers like bell peppers and jalapeno peppers</li>
<li>Leafy greens like kale, spinach, arugula, watercress, and Swiss chard</li>
<li>Cucumbers</li>
</ul>
I'd also add peas and beans to the list. Woody plants (like rosemary) won't work, nor will plants that spread (like strawberries) unless you use the Grow Tray with the organic coconut material--but after my strawberry experience I don't think I'm going back to that for a while.<br />
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If you're in the market for seeds, a perennial best-selling vendor on Amazon is Zziggysgal, who sells organi certified non-GMO seeds, including <a href="http://amzn.to/29OA8VD" target="_blank">a set of 12 herbs</a> (Italian Parsley, Thyme, Cilantro, Sweet Basil, Dill, Oregano, Sweet Marjoram, Chives, Summer Savory, Garlic Chives, Mustard, and Culinary Sage), all of which will do great in an Aerogarden.<br />
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They also have <a href="http://amzn.to/29XVgUr" target="_blank">another set of 12 veggies</a>. If you have a tall Aerogarden, the ones that'll grow best indoors are Red Bell Pepper, Golden Yellow Tomatoes, Snap Peas, Cherry Tomato, Lettuce, and possibly Zucchini. They also include in the set Yellow Squash, Spinach, Bush Beans, and Beets which will probably be best grown outdoors or in a container garden. Or you could do both--grow your crops outdoors but experiment with indoor gardening so you'll have fresh crops throughout the winter.<br />
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You can get <a href="http://www.indoorgardener.org/2015/04/alternative-to-aerogarden-liquid.html" target="_blank">replacement plant food</a> on Amazon as well that'll last you for a good long time and will do wonders whether you grow herbs or veggies.<br />
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The fun of it is in the experimentation. Try everything and see what works :)Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00771730286325107611noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3141108566177795594.post-85742784443305134242015-03-10T18:20:00.000-04:002016-07-21T13:04:40.797-04:00Alternative Aerogarden Nutrients - Liquid and Dry Plant FoodWith the exception of a class of plants called Epiphytes which are able to extract nutrients from the air, rain, and debris around it (like cacti, orchids, and bromelaids), most plants derive their nutrients from their root systems and the soil. So when a plant grows hydroponically, something needs to take the place of the rich nutrients usually found in soil.<br />
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Back in the old days, some of you might recall that Aerogarden used to include white tablets in with their new seed pods. These tablets usually came in a small zip-lock bag. The tablets appeared to be made of salt (they were actually made of a combination of mineral salts, seaweed, a pH balancing tap water buffer, and a binder to hold the tablet together).<br />
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To use them, you just plopped two pill into the water. Plop, plop, fizz, fizz.<br />
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The problem with these tablets was that because they were moist, over time, these tablets would burst out of their zip-lock bags and seep into the outer box and generally cause a mess. Worse, over time your water would be filled with gunk, which could even clog up the Aerogarden pumps.<br />
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The good engineers at Aerogrow then came up with little plastic packets, similar to soy sauce or duck sauce packets you get at Chinese takeout restaurants.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYFxTvgxM0uYHvonnItYH6TmBb6xbNpzDEQ1q8p4kH2OizqUexxJpJUkZCOAQHhY91-7hkDJ5r6PC1k_S0vE26_PGB7OVVI860EqZDTxjsVpeCvxWRrdZjrqNT77-tBAkeBQ3djdbcHP0/s1600/IMG_6631.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYFxTvgxM0uYHvonnItYH6TmBb6xbNpzDEQ1q8p4kH2OizqUexxJpJUkZCOAQHhY91-7hkDJ5r6PC1k_S0vE26_PGB7OVVI860EqZDTxjsVpeCvxWRrdZjrqNT77-tBAkeBQ3djdbcHP0/s1600/IMG_6631.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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These worked great, but it rubbed me the wrong way how wasteful this solution was--the last thing our landfills need is more plastic. Worse, if you kept the packet more than a few months, they would dry out, leaving you with a pack of dried salt and brown gunk.<br />
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I should say these were salvageable. Here's what I did with dried out Aerogarden nutrient packets: just cut them into a few pieces with scissors, put them in a cup of water, and stir. The salts and nutrients will dissolve into water and be just as good as new. But yes, this was a pain.<br />
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The latest, and so far the best, solution now is that Aerogarden provides bottles of liquid plant food. Here's what the container looks like from Aerogarden's catalog (next to a fictional set of strawberry crowns).<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgETY5xFfHhyu8W55lhiMXsjBmkbPg1Mr_4zruCb3FCD6yPbvf0KW5nWOGwC6bWrNliE3G5z0UiXT6RuXzVU2GLX93RjPS6kpLzYof7f5QvMKs-gf3qgORyj7YV18j89393ViRdEQbZsa8/s1600/strawberry-crowns-aerogarden.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgETY5xFfHhyu8W55lhiMXsjBmkbPg1Mr_4zruCb3FCD6yPbvf0KW5nWOGwC6bWrNliE3G5z0UiXT6RuXzVU2GLX93RjPS6kpLzYof7f5QvMKs-gf3qgORyj7YV18j89393ViRdEQbZsa8/s1600/strawberry-crowns-aerogarden.jpg" /></a></div>
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Like a bottle of cough syrup, it comes with a cup that you can measure and pour.<br />
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Aerogarden also sells nutrients in bulk. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004M5NGJG/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B004M5NGJG&linkCode=as2&tag=namethathymnl-20&linkId=KAWJAQUM7S5IMMMX">Here's a one quart container</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=namethathymnl-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B004M5NGJG" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /> you can get from their store or from Amazon:<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004M5NGJG/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B004M5NGJG&linkCode=as2&tag=namethathymnl-20&linkId=57DZXJROQDG473ZF"><img border="0" src="http://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B004M5NGJG&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=namethathymnl-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=namethathymnl-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B004M5NGJG" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />
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The container will last for more than 100 feedings.While they used to provide different formulations for different types of plants, nowadays they provide pretty much the same nutrients for all plants.<br />
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Whether they're in tablet, packet, or bottle form, AeroGarden's own nutrients are made up of a number of mineral salts, including potassium nitrate, calcium nitrate, mono potassium phosphate, ammonium nitrate, and magnesium sulfate. While this sounds like a chemical concoction, all the ingredients occur naturally and are balanced in just the right amounts to help plants thrive (some of these ingredients are also found in multi-vitamins). You can actually use it as nutrients for your Aerogarden, or if you dilute it with water, you can use it for your houseplants or outdoor garden as well.<br />
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At 29 cents a feeding, the nutrient is kind of pricey, though. A question I hear a lot is, are there alternatives to the Aerogarden nutrients?<br />
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The first thing to understand is--normal plant food (like Miracle Gro's traditional blue crystal plant food for houseplants) is NOT a suitable substitute for Aerogarden's liquid plant food because this kind of food is designed to work with soil--just putting it in water won't provide the pH balance or micronutrients your plants need. You do need to go with a solution designed specifically for hydroponics.<br />
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/General-Hydroponics-MaxiGro-Gardening-2-2-Pound/dp/B00NQANQAC/ref=as_li_ss_il?ie=UTF8&&&&&&&redirect=true&ref_=as_li_tl&linkCode=li1&tag=namethathymnl-20&linkId=bda9d06ecbb5b3c1facac92693b0f808" target="_blank"><img align="right" border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B00NQANQAC&Format=_SL110_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=namethathymnl-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=namethathymnl-20&l=li1&o=1&a=B00NQANQAC" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />One of the leaders in the category is General Hydroponics, and a lot of people have reported success with a product called <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000COBT54/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B000COBT54&linkCode=as2&tag=namethathymnl-20&linkId=QHLOVMVURUEWAKEH">MaxiGro</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=namethathymnl-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B000COBT54" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />. This is a dry product that you mix with water. A 2.2 pound package can make about 200 gallons of nutrient solution. Assuming this equates to 266 feedings (an Amazon reader said that "two small scoops" were enough per feeding), that comes out to about 5.8 cents a feeding, which is a lot more affordable than Aerogarden.<br />
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/General-Hydroponics-Florabloom-Floramicro-Fertilizer/dp/B017H73708/ref=as_li_ss_il?ie=UTF8&redirect=true&ref_=as_li_tl&linkCode=li1&tag=namethathymnl-20&linkId=83b99ba298c10016f0e3c394785beef5" target="_blank"><img align="right" border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B017H73708&Format=_SL110_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=namethathymnl-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=namethathymnl-20&l=li1&o=1&a=B017H73708" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />If you prefer liquid nutrients, General Hydroponics' signature product is their <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0024NDVRA/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B0024NDVRA&linkCode=as2&tag=namethathymnl-20&linkId=TMJGMPM4RI4JMD7D">Flora Series</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=namethathymnl-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B0024NDVRA" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />. These are a set of 32 ounce bottles that meet a variety of needs. You can read the reviews on Amazon to see others' experiences with them and Aerogardens--consensus is that you just need to mix less than their suggested dosage to see great results. With both the solid and liquid nutrients, you'll need to do a little trial and error to get to what's right for your plants.<br />
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Have you had success with alternatives to Aerogarden's nutrients? Share them here!Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00771730286325107611noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3141108566177795594.post-34713304650885797832015-02-09T00:55:00.002-05:002015-02-09T16:17:37.073-05:00Happy belated 2015! Here's where we are with the strawberries! Sorry, it's been a while since I've posted an update about my Aerogarden Strawberries. Lots going on in my life (don't worry, all good stuff), so keeping this blog up has been put a tad on the back burner. But rest assured, I'm still doing the indoor gardening, and I'm still documenting every step of the way so that you can share in my joy...and my misery :)<br />
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Honestly, you didn't miss much. I haven't bought any new air cleaning plants since my last post on the subject (sadly, the Areca Palm and the Gerbera Daisy both met their maker, but the others are doing quite well), Just when I thought my fungus gnat problem was gone at home and work, suddenly there was a whole new infestation--and this time Gnatrol didn't help (Unlike last time, the Amazon seller I bought it from this time gave it to me in a plastic baggie, and I have a sneaking suspicion that they're using an old batch. To their credit they agreed to refund my money, no questions asked--but watering the plant with an impotent tablespoon of Gnatrol just made the problem worse.<br />
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Ah, now to the strawberries. Here, you didn't miss much either. Since the last post, there was only one strawberry--one--that survived.<br />
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Now as you recall, one of my "dreams" was to grow enough indoor strawberries to make my own shortcake. Well, I have the "short" down right anyway. As in, I'm short of the number I wanted.<br />
<br />
But it's been a learning experience. I pretty conclusively figured out that everything I said last November was on the mark, except perhaps for the temperature one. Specifically...<br />
<br />
1) <b>I'm not watering enough. </b>Far and away, this is my #1 problem. I have gigantic, huge green leaves which are soaking up the light--and soaking up the water. I mean literally, I might go two days and find the reservoir almost completely dry. And what looked like a beautiful white flower a few days ago is just a dried up little stump, because the strawberry didn't have enough water to grow. So now, I literally am watering every single day.<br />
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2) <b>I'm letting dead leaves overstay their welcome. </b>I noticed a phenomenon where older leaves would turn brown. Turns out this is perfectly normal, and the best thing to do is the prune the leaves by cutting the stem near the root. This prevents the dying leaf from hogging up the resources, and gives a chance for new growth. Similarly, I've noticed that some of the crowns produce fewer and fewer leaves and then just stop growing. I've taken those out to make more room for the healthy ones.<br />
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3) <b>I'm not pollinating enough. </b>Aerogrow's instructions are to give the plants a "good shake" to pollinate them, but I've seen to many instances where the flowers give way to scrunched up, misformed fruits. I decided to make like a bee, take a Q-Tip, and go from flower to flower. That's helped a lot.<br />
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4) <b>I'm not feeding right. </b>Admittedly, I've let the unit go without a proper feeding for too long from time to time. Being fastidious about feeding is critical for plants staying healthy.<br />
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5) <b>Those *%%^@#& fungus gnats. </b>I find that they've gotten into the Aerogarden too. The good news is, the ones that have matured freak out every hour the upper basin start filling with water, and so I can vacuum them up with my Dyson handheld. I put a yellow trap that seems to catch them too. I'm not sure how many of the larvae can survive the continual cycle of watering and drying, but so far the plants seem to be winning.<br />
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Well, lo and behold, just doing these things a little more carefully has resulted in a sudden influx of flowers. In this picture you can see all the stages that happen when strawberry plants grow--you start with a white and yellow flower, then the white petals start to fall off and the middle yellow part (the stamen) starts to bulge and look like a tiny green strawberry. If all goes well, in a few days it'll get bigger and bigger, and finally start turning pink and then red.<br />
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This is a strawberry that looks like it wasn't pollinated quite right...you can see it all scrunched up and not ripening as quickly as its high-achieving sibling.<br />
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On the other hand, this is one that I deliberately and carefully hand-pollinated from the time it was just a small flower. </div>
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Again, here you can see some of its siblings, one still in flower form, while the other a tiny berry already. </div>
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<span style="text-align: center;">So, the time came to harvest my second successful Aerogarden strawberry. Here's what it looked like inside, again pretty much a perfect strawberry.</span><br />
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The strawberry was again amazingly juicy and really, really sweet. I mean, this didn't need any sugar or cream--it was bursting with strawberry flavor.<br />
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My only regret is that in three months, I only have two strawberries to show for it. So my dream of building a victory garden that would sustain me in my apartment if I were to be snowed in or Y2K were to hit...that'll still have to wait. But at the very least, here's hoping that all those flowers you see in the picture above will yield at least enough for me to make a strawberry shortcake cupcake :)<br />
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<br />Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00771730286325107611noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3141108566177795594.post-34862617638725377222014-12-07T16:15:00.000-05:002015-02-09T16:15:18.435-05:00The first strawberryMy first "real" strawberry, after a string of stunted and shriveled ones, came in December.<br />
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Here's what it looked like on December 4.<br />
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Notice that on the same vine, its sibling never grew more than a few millimeters in diameter before it shriveled up.<br />
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And here's what it looked like three days later on December 7.<br />
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Slicing it open, it was a perfect strawberry through and through., juicy and sweet. <br />
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Wanting to savor the moment, I actually sat down and sliced it, eating it like a steak and savoring every little bit. At this rate, I may enjoy one strawberry every few months, so I figure I'd make the most of it.Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00771730286325107611noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3141108566177795594.post-73353227066254488632014-11-25T12:53:00.000-05:002016-07-22T18:48:31.510-04:00Peace Lily (Spathiphyllum sp.) - Best Air Purifying Plant #7Granted, I can't say the name of this plant without sounding like Sylvester the cat, but it is one of the most popular houseplants around. Its Latin name is Spathiphyllum, where "spatha" refers to the "spathe" (which I'll describe below) and "phyllum" means "leaf".<br />
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The plant is also called a "Peace Lily", which is a bit of a misnomer because this plant isn't a lily at all. In fact, the white thing that everyone thinks is a flower is a special kind of leaf, or bract, called a "spathe". It's more like a shield that protects the hard part in the middle of it, which is the actual flower cluster.<br />
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Here's the one I got from Garden World:<br />
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The flowers inside the spathe actually had a wonderful subtle fragrant scent. When I tapped them they also spewed out a whole bunch of white pollen powder.<br />
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It's rated 8 out of 10 for chemical removal and 8 out of 10 for transpiration, thanks to those lovely huge green leaves. Just having it around instantly brings life to a room, both in terms of the beautiful white spathes as well as the cleaner air.<br />
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When you buy one of these plants, you want to make sure you go to a breeder or garden center. Word is that when they're mass produced, they're bred so that when you buy them you see nice huge spathes in the store, but once those die, they never come back.<br />
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The Spathiphyllum comes from the tropical rainforests of South America. While the plant is known to tolerate low light conditions, this plant loves light. It also prefers a soil mixture that's looser and more porous, like orchid potting soil or a mix of potting soil, peat moss, and perlite, rather than just traditional potting soil that turns into thick mud when wet. It also loves lots of water. Keep the soil damp but not soggy and you should be fine. <br />
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I had an old Spathiphyllum for years and it was a testament to how much abuse this plant can take. My plant would go for weeks without watering, to the point where the leaves would start to droop. But after watering it, the leaves would perk up as good as new. I was proud of my plant, but one particularly dry winter I left for a three-week trip and came back to find it not just drooped, but the leaves dried out. I tried watering it, and bless its heart it tried to come back to life, but ultimately it no longer produced flowers nor spathes. Ultimately I had to throw it out, although I did save two cutting from it before I did.<br />
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1) Temperature: As with any tropical rainforest plant, keep as warm and humid as possible. Keep between 68-80 degrees Fahrenheit. Anything below 55 and they will have problems.<br />
2) Sunlight: Light to moderate shade is best. <br />
3) Care and feeding: Mist regularly and water frequently in summer. In winter, keep soil damp. Feed weekly in summertime with fertilizer.Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00771730286325107611noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3141108566177795594.post-23231407248007193092014-11-18T12:00:00.000-05:002016-07-22T18:48:36.810-04:00Boston Fern (Nephrolepis exaltata "Bostoniensis") - Best Air Cleaning Plant #1With chemical removal rated at 9 out of 10 and transpiration rate at 9 out of 10, the Boston Fern (<i>Nephrolepis exaltata</i>) is the top air cleaning plant on the list. Here's the one I got from Garden World, all transplanted in its nice new pot.<br />
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The Boston fern isn't from Boston and quite honestly doesn't even grow particularly well in Boston. There are varying theories of why this variation got the name. The species of <i>Nephrolepis exaltata </i>normally has erect fronds, but this variation of <i>Nephrolepis exaltata cv. Bostoniensis </i>has arching fronds. Some say that the name came when this mutation was discovered as plants were shipped from Boston to Philadelphia in 1894, while others say the name came from Florida pioneer John Soar, who shipped some of the plants to a friend in Boston. Whatever the origin, the name stuck and this plant is forever associated with Boston.<br />
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The plant is really native to humid forests and swampy areas, such as in Florida Central and South America, and Africa. Its ability to thrive in humid areas is what makes it a great air cleaning houseplant, as it is used to taking in water and transpiring it. It's that same property that makes it a bit difficult to care for, especially in rooms that we keep climate controlled and dehumidified.<br />
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There are a couple things you can do to let your plant feel a little bit more at home. Make sure to place the pot on a tray of pebbles; this way, when the water in the tray dissolves, it'll help hydrate the plant. Also, you'll want to mist the plant once or twice a week. It's not sub-Saharan Africa, but it's close enough. If you see the leaves turning yellow, it's time to increase the humidity.<br />
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You'll also want to make sure your soil NEVER dries out. This is not to say to keep it soaking, but if the soil dries out that's not going to be great for the plant.<br />
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1) Temperature: Keep between 68-80 degrees Fahrenheit. Anything below 55 and they will die<br />
2) Sunlight: Partial shade and indirect lighting is best. Think the ground of an old growth forest.<br />
3) Care and feeding: Keep soil evenly moist but not soggy. Does not need a lot of fertilizer, feed once or twice a month with a diluted houseplant fertilizer.Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00771730286325107611noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3141108566177795594.post-34547885466118386542014-11-13T12:43:00.000-05:002014-11-13T12:43:00.625-05:00A great garden center in Flushing and Bayside - Garden WorldNow most of you who read the blog know that aside from a few links on the side, I don't do a lot of advertising. Part of it is because I do it for the love of indoor gardening, but another part is that I get so sick of bloggers who just seem to sell out with every other post being "sponsored".<br />
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That said, when I find a place I really love, I gotta talk about it. And this place is <a href="https://www.nygardenworld.com/" target="_blank">Garden World</a> in Flushing, New York. I should start off by saying that they don't know I'm blogging about them, but I was plenty impressed with them that I figured I'd write a post on them. By the way, if you're in the NY area, there's <a href="http://www.anrdoezrs.net/click-2632699-10872943?url=http%3A//www.groupon.com/deals/garden-world-6" style="text-align: center;">a Groupon</a> you can use to get a discount.<br />
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The shop itself looks pretty nondescript on the outside, just a shack sitting to the side of an H-mart. Walking in, though, you immediately see a huge area filled with supplies. They just started to put up the Christmas products as well, so there's a festive feel about it. There were also fresh apples in the back from area orchards.<br />
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The part I wanted to see was in the back--the greenhouse. This was stocked full of wonderful, healthy plants. For someone who's been buying dead and diseased plants from a K-mart under Penn Station, I was like a kid in a candy store.<br />
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They had most of the plants we've been talking about--huge golden pothos plants, dracenas, and plenty of other tropical plants. </div>
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The proprietor of the store couldn't have been nicer to us. I read, in broken Latin, the plants I was looking for and he walked me through and showed them to me. I wanted a Bamboo Palm, but the one they had was way too big for me.</div>
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Another goal was to get a ficus robusta (rubber tree plant), but the 8" one they had was just too big for me. But I'll be back to see if I can get a 6" one next spring. </div>
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I was happy to find a lot of the plants I'd been searching for. Clockwise from the upper left below is the Boston Fern (#1), the Peace Plant (#7), the Spider Plant (#26), and a Ficus (#15). You'll be reading more about these in the coming weeks as I transplant them. </div>
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Something else I got? A bag of potting soil which was completely free of fungus gnats. For all the coupons I get from K-mart, one thing I learned is that buying soil or plants from a place like that, no matter how cheap you may think it is, ends up costing a lot more in the long run. </div>
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If you're in the Flushing or Franklin Square areas, definitely check them out. </div>
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Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00771730286325107611noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3141108566177795594.post-69809556741272965762014-11-11T11:18:00.003-05:002014-11-11T11:18:33.407-05:00Lots of dried, undeveloped strawberries--Update on the strawberriesIt's been a while since I gave an update of the strawberry plants. Here's what they look like today.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1DE2124cjKTzdkI1kjMcae1yvc9-xP5PHxGQxCRLXEuRCBYriRHKQ_fU9gkszLk_DRk8eDFPb663lyNBu_YOqqqhjZiIFmGroAc_TcM9ilIETXrpSR3YNlI_Jabrn0JVobsDEx19mj-0/s1600/IMG_5059%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1DE2124cjKTzdkI1kjMcae1yvc9-xP5PHxGQxCRLXEuRCBYriRHKQ_fU9gkszLk_DRk8eDFPb663lyNBu_YOqqqhjZiIFmGroAc_TcM9ilIETXrpSR3YNlI_Jabrn0JVobsDEx19mj-0/s320/IMG_5059%5B1%5D.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Pretty impressive looking, huh? Out of all the plants I planted, only one didn't grow. Again, nice job by Aerogrow on that third batch.<br />
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I wish I could say that by now I've harvested bushels of strawberries and have been making pies, jams, and shortcakes. But alas, I've seen about 10 strawberries so far and they all look something like this.<br />
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Shriveled, brown, and looking more like a cluster of seeds than a fruit. There are a couple reasons this is happening:<br />
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1) <b>I'm not pollinating right.</b> Strawberries coming out malformed or small are usually due to lack of pollination. I followed AeroGrow's instructions and each time I pass by the plant I dutifully give it a good shake. But it doesn't look like that's enough to really spread the pollen. The other problem is that I sometimes don't even see the flowers until it's too late. I think the next step is going to be for me to pay closer attention to see when the flowers are budding and then use a Q-Tip or an artist's brush to hand pollinate them.<br />
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2) <b>I'm not watering right. </b>There have been a couple times I check the water and it's bone dry inside. Between the coco chunks and the amount of water the growing plants suck up so much water, I find that the reservoir dries up much faster than with a regular Aerogarden growth. The Grow Bowl really requires you to constantly fill up with water. But watch out--fill it a little too much and water will spill over the side, a lesson I learned a few times.<br />
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3) <b>I'm not adding enough nutrients.</b> Looking at the washed-out leaves, I'm wondering if the plants are lacking nutrients. I've been adding old packets of nutrients from past Aerogardens, but I think it might be time for me to go to the bottle of fresh nutrients that got shipped with the product.<br />
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4) <b>The temperature is off. </b>The weather and our heating system has been weird lately, meaning really cold nights and occasional periods where it's really warm. I think that might be affecting the plants as well.<br />
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So far, there's only one strawberry that looks like it might have a chance.<br />
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Its odd shape is a telltale sign of it not being pollinated well, but at least there's a little meat to it. We'll see if it continues to grow.<br />
<br />Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00771730286325107611noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3141108566177795594.post-859496408940280822014-10-22T14:10:00.000-04:002016-07-25T10:08:50.052-04:00Turning to Gnatrol (Bti) to get rid of Fungus Gnats once and for allIf you recall, a few months ago I wrote of how Kmart sold me a bag of potting soil with fungus gnats, and soon every plant in my house and office seemed to be infested.<br />
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I <a href="http://www.indoorgardener.org/2014/07/getting-rid-of-fungus-gnats-with-drying.html" target="_blank">detailed every single tactic</a> I found to try to get rid of them. I tried drying out the soil, but even after all the dirt was bone dry and the leaves started to wilt, watering seemed to bring back the gnats with a vengeance. I tried sprinkling cinnamon but gnats keep showing up. I bought <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005F5KZDW/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B005F5KZDW&linkCode=as2&tag=namethathymnl-20&linkId=KD7X2ITY3UIGDXEI">100 Yellow Sticky Traps</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=namethathymnl-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B005F5KZDW" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />, enough to put and put 1-2 on every single plant. While they do a great job of trapping adults they don't seem to be stopping new larvae (remember that it just take one gnat to get through the perimeter alive to lay 200-300 eggs). Finally, I went to both Gardener's Supply Company and Amazon to buy <a href="http://www.amazon.com/s/?_encoding=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&field-keywords=scanmask&linkCode=ur2&tag=namethathymnl-20&url=search-alias%3Daps&linkId=YS66I63BVCBS7KFT" target="_blank">nematodes</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=namethathymnl-20&l=ur2&o=1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />; none of them seemed to work the first time around which I attributed to them being fried during shipping. But even when I requested replacements, they didn't work either. Drenching the plants with Hydrogen Peroxide didn't seem to do much either.<br />
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No more Mr. Nice Guy. It was time for me to turn to Gnatrol (You can purchase <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003E7BGTU/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B003E7BGTU&linkCode=as2&tag=namethathymnl-20&linkId=O3HNTS2UBXQCN5MW">Gnatrol for a reasonable price at Amazon)</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=namethathymnl-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B003E7BGTU" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />. I've admittedly been resisting this option because I've heard that Gnatrol is a "pesticide", and I wasn't keen on adding "dangerous chemicals" to my plants. After all, the point of growing these plants is for me to clear the air, and the last thing I need is for my plants and soil to be poisoning me.<br />
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But that's when I did my research. At first glance, Gnatrol sounds scary. It's a "larvacide" with an active ingredient called "<i>Bacillus thuringiensis </i>subsp. <i>israelensis</i>", or Bti. Did I really want to put bacteria into all my houseplants? I mean, putting live parasites (the nematodes) was freaky enough an idea to get used to. The song "I know an old lady who swallowed a fly" kept ringing through my head.<br />
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But after reading more about it, Bti is as close to a miracle fix as modern science has come up with. First of all, what they sell isn't live, viable bacteria; the toxicant that kills the larvae is actually a part of the Bti spore<span style="text-align: center;">. It was actually discovered in 1976 in Israel from scientists who isolated the bacteria from dead mosquito larvae. It's a substance that's deadly to mosquito larvae (as well as larvae of blackflies, midges, and fungus gnats). Specifcially, Bti releases special protein crystals. When the larvae eat them, the alkaline nature of their digestive system causes these crystals to dissolve and be converted into toxic protein molecules that destroy the inside of the larvae's stomach. Long story short, they can't eat and then they go off to that giant Golden Pothos in the sky.</span><br />
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Here's the cool thing about it--because humans, animals, birds, and fish have acidic and not alkaline digestive tracts, the Bti toxins don't have any effect on us. In fact, Bti is used in mass quantities by cities and municipalities worldwide to control mosquito populations. Because it's a bacteria that's found naturally in soils anyway, there's less fear of using it than more dangerous chemical solutions. Another thing that's nice about Bti is that once it's released, the active ingredient will dissipate after about 72 hours, so even if it were harmful to humans, the exposure is limited.<br />
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Gnatrol is a consumer version of Bti. I bought the bottle from a seller on Amazon for $2.69 + $5.49 shipping. Now we all know shipping this tiny bottle can't cost $5.49, but still, if I can spend under $10 and get rid of all the fungus gnats, it'll be money well spent.<br />
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The bottle you buy for $10 looks tiny, but because all you need is 1/2 teaspoon per gallon for mild infestations and 1 1/2 teaspoons for heavy infestations, this bottle should last for multiple waterings, hopefully enough to eradicate all the fungus gnats. It has a shelf life of about 2 years, so it doesn't make sense to hoard it--at under $10 it's affordable to get infestation by infestation (which hopefully will be years apart).<br />
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To use it, I went a little on the heavy side and added about 2 tablespoons to a gallon of water and drenched the soil, When you mix the water and the granules, you end up with basically a bottle full of bacterial gunk, which looks like brown water.<br />
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I then went plant by plant, watering it so that the soil was thoroughly moist and a little bit drained on the bottom.<br />
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For a few plants where I thought there were no fungus gnats, a few gnats flew out when I watered them. Hopefully this will put an end to them once and for all. I put a fresh set of yellow sticky traps over each plant to see how effective the treatment will be.<br />
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So far, I'm cautiously optimistic. While I'd typically see 10-20 (or more) gnats on the sticky traps, a lot of them are clear now, or have 1-2 gnats. They do say to re-apply the solution three times a week. This is because Gnatrol will not affect adult flies after the pupae stage, so if some adults decide to lay more eggs you'll have a fresh batch of Bti for their young ones to feast on.<br />
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If you look at the Amazon reviews, most of them are glowing, but some of them complain that the Gnatrol only made the problem worse. In these cases, the likely culprit is that the seller sold them really old granules that were no longer potent, so ironically while they were thinking they were filling the soil with Bti, they just ended up re-watering the soil, creating more fungus, and making it a breeding ground for gnats.<br />
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In my case, though, the gnats definitely appear to be finally getting under control. Since I did this about two weeks ago, the number of gnats definitely appear to have lessened both at home and in the office. The biggest test was on the <a href="http://www.indoorgardener.org/2014/07/getting-rid-of-fungus-gnats-with-drying.html" target="_blank">Boston Fern</a> from Kmart that had been infested from day one. The infestation for that had gotten so bad that I enclosed it into two sandwich bag, partially to serve as a greenhouse, but partially because there were so many gnats coming out of this plant it was clear that the roots were thoroughly infested. It sounds a little nasty, but every morning I'd see new gnats buzzing around in the bag and then squash them.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqI7oKYx1b0uAQmXWlxLpheIVIEFZLNWPMuUP43lBE7XoHAPmlEHOUzcylOI4zXwfWHthTlQnrKmfJb2CcwZEuhV1KUcqZ3dEQatmxP8Qm0CEy_9UZ9pJgcpkzOr79bviF46DFK9BM7o4/s1600/IMG_4894.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqI7oKYx1b0uAQmXWlxLpheIVIEFZLNWPMuUP43lBE7XoHAPmlEHOUzcylOI4zXwfWHthTlQnrKmfJb2CcwZEuhV1KUcqZ3dEQatmxP8Qm0CEy_9UZ9pJgcpkzOr79bviF46DFK9BM7o4/s1600/IMG_4894.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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This was ground zero in the war against the gnats. As you can see, the plant is barely larger now than it was many months ago; this is almost certainly due to the gnat larvae feeding at the root. I think what kept the plant fighting was putting it in the bag, where it got ample humidity (something that ferns need).<br />
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My first instinct after writing about this plant so many months ago was to toss the plant in the trash, but I felt that would be conceding victory to the gnats. No, I was going to fight this. So I did everything I mentioned in my last post on fungus gnats, to no avail. But I have it a good drench in the Gnatrol which finally seems to be doing something. I still see and squash one or two gnats every few days, but the problem seems to be a lot more under control. My hope is that eventually I'll go weeks without seeing one gnat, and then I'll finally be able to properly repot and fertilize this plant and hopefully see it grow again. It's honestly hard to say if it's too late for this little guy, but fingers crossed. </div>
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<br />Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00771730286325107611noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3141108566177795594.post-6740006684516820052014-10-20T10:43:00.001-04:002014-10-20T10:43:26.332-04:00Strawberry Plants Growing Well, but I Lose the First StrawberryIt's only been a week, and look how nicely the Aerogarden strawberry plants are doing!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY0FX9IwKvS8Zn6Vw5B3W8H522yowBFrXXiXZDWf8JSOuhzYl9asi3wQZoy9rgVFVUFJYj_SK_lkirKN8eAHod4UWjvK5gJ9yMFo4-e1UhJVxs8cJBr_uRPjTBZZBv22Pt66JNpxOP9A0/s1600/IMG_4893.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY0FX9IwKvS8Zn6Vw5B3W8H522yowBFrXXiXZDWf8JSOuhzYl9asi3wQZoy9rgVFVUFJYj_SK_lkirKN8eAHod4UWjvK5gJ9yMFo4-e1UhJVxs8cJBr_uRPjTBZZBv22Pt66JNpxOP9A0/s1600/IMG_4893.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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Now this is more like it. Every single crown has sprouted leaves, and I can see even see flower buds on a couple of them. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSza3WukqEzTJMXsYp6DByu5YAQUTqJSo0Xi6BreAx43SwMLiAoZH5EcojCBL3rvCrf_F9MCAfd44W-nEUhbt1uuhvY6d6wBvtptp7cQqYJ6l_4raheYqmUZpiLKGJac5zqC1iszjbj8E/s1600/IMG_4892.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" /><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSza3WukqEzTJMXsYp6DByu5YAQUTqJSo0Xi6BreAx43SwMLiAoZH5EcojCBL3rvCrf_F9MCAfd44W-nEUhbt1uuhvY6d6wBvtptp7cQqYJ6l_4raheYqmUZpiLKGJac5zqC1iszjbj8E/s1600/IMG_4892.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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Shockingly, all the plants after one week are about the same size as the first plant, which has had a month and a half to grow. What a difference delivering plants while they're still alive makes.<br />
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Speaking of the first plant, sadly, I saw that the little strawberry I straw growing has shriveled up and turned black, almost looking like a blackberry at this point :(<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0tbchxAimaBxfru8Ts3VIcyL6IluFn5D8GK0mWg_BKnS8f6SLiABPqPsa1onkiKa2dmX-tuOwWzYvnTObhRjdHX16Xzxk-yMkAL8XrYLkKM91Yx-HIy8OuKn2B7524HzWdAc5UB6Q2zQ/s1600/IMG_4890.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0tbchxAimaBxfru8Ts3VIcyL6IluFn5D8GK0mWg_BKnS8f6SLiABPqPsa1onkiKa2dmX-tuOwWzYvnTObhRjdHX16Xzxk-yMkAL8XrYLkKM91Yx-HIy8OuKn2B7524HzWdAc5UB6Q2zQ/s1600/IMG_4890.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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I went to Google to try to find out what might have caused this. What makes this tough to Google is that there is actually such a thing as real black strawberries, but this isn't one of them.<br />
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It's hard to tell what condition caused this (if anyone knows for sure, please leave a comment!). I have a few guesses. It could be that because I didn't even notice the flower until after it had turned into a strawberry, the stunted growth may be a result of a lack of pollination. Or, it could be that because this little strawberry was near the base of the plant and thus continually covered by water every hour, it might have developed rot or a fungus. <br />
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In any case, there are plenty more flowers on the other plants, so I won't mourn this little guy too much. Let's hope that future strawberries are big, plump, and red the way they should be.Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00771730286325107611noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3141108566177795594.post-87385840879670351732014-10-14T10:27:00.001-04:002014-10-14T10:27:08.587-04:00...and growing, and growingI usually don't update the blog this quickly, but Aerogarden plants also usually don't grow this quickly. Check out the progress in just one day.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja8tHz5kRxI9afH34VVvYdY0DkopOhyphenhyphenrCEyQtJm9AKf-RPpsfSM-JsfCZDvKCEV1OwUe_U5AwCfuHCxvfRJq4_5DPPNILCas_OZHJL1MQV-SNDGJ_PdyEokh18kHbtKZJH_6sdpNu6JSI/s1600/IMG_4848.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja8tHz5kRxI9afH34VVvYdY0DkopOhyphenhyphenrCEyQtJm9AKf-RPpsfSM-JsfCZDvKCEV1OwUe_U5AwCfuHCxvfRJq4_5DPPNILCas_OZHJL1MQV-SNDGJ_PdyEokh18kHbtKZJH_6sdpNu6JSI/s1600/IMG_4848.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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What a difference not cooking in a UPS warehouse makes! The only dilemma now is going to be to try to figure out which plants to throw out to thin it down to six plants. Thank you (finally) Aerogrow, for coming through.Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00771730286325107611noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3141108566177795594.post-88466142966059256462014-10-12T22:00:00.000-04:002014-10-13T10:34:44.357-04:00Aerogarden Strawberries Finally GrowingJust two days after planting the latest batch of Aerogarden Strawberry Crowns, here's what I'm seeing:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2yRIWxv4Awdg8uvulv7VnIHskzRNNZduPnYuHANuti5gc8isGRLwJ5_jUZojer0nuopt0ptJGJp_un96fF1tpSrbBjJLqJsXpkyozAUc51Tnj9C3j1foT04uV2v8AD7pLfR6hxZQYQ7k/s1600/IMG_4838.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2yRIWxv4Awdg8uvulv7VnIHskzRNNZduPnYuHANuti5gc8isGRLwJ5_jUZojer0nuopt0ptJGJp_un96fF1tpSrbBjJLqJsXpkyozAUc51Tnj9C3j1foT04uV2v8AD7pLfR6hxZQYQ7k/s1600/IMG_4838.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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You might recall from past posts that the original set of crowns was <a href="http://www.indoorgardener.org/2014/09/aerogarden-strawberry-kit-can-you.html" target="_blank">90% dead</a> and the replacement set they sent was <a href="http://www.indoorgardener.org/2014/09/replacement-aerogarden-strawberries.html" target="_blank">100% dead</a>. If I wasn't so persistent in wanting to document this process in blog form, Aerogarden Strawberries would probably be dead to me too. </div>
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The one difference is that this time, the plants were delivered to me via UPS Ground, so they were shipped direct to my door in under 4 days. Previously, the plants were shipped via UPS SurePost, which meant they were dispatched from AeroGarden, allowed to sit in what was probably a hot warehouse for days, and then delivered to my door over a week later. </div>
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I hope someone from AeroGrow is reading this, because it's going to save you a heck of a lot of money in the future. Here are some suggestions I have for you:</div>
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<ol>
<li>Do the math. In this case, you had to spend money to mail me my original set of crowns via UPS SmartPost, a second set of crowns via UPS SmartPost, AND a third set of crowns via UPS Ground. You also had to pay your customer service people for answering my calls and responding to my emails. And worst of all, you made me wait over a month to finally get strawberry plants growing. You can save us all (most of all yourself) time and money by baking in UPS Ground shipment into sales of the Strawberry Crowns--heaven knows if people are paying $20 for $0.50 of plants, you can afford it.<br /></li>
<li>Listen to your customers instead of just spewing out a prepared text--while you might have clueless customers here and there, I'll hazard a guess that most of your customers are pretty savvy. So if they tell you that they're picking up the strawberry crowns and they're disintegrating into dust, don't insult their intelligence by saying the plants are "dormant".<br /></li>
<li>Change the photo on your Web site or at least put a big disclaimer to set expectations that customers are not going to receive six beautiful green plants in the mail.</li>
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Griping aside, I do appreciate that the customer service reps did send me replacements quickly with no questions asked. <div>
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Okay, now that I have that off my chest, I can start raving. This grow bowl system is really, really cool. I was a little skeptical at first, but that first strawberry plant is doing pretty well, and I have good feelings about the others. The bowl itself is shallow, so instead of roots running deep, evidently they'll run vertically. I was a little afraid of root rot at first, but because the grow bowl fills and drains so quickly, it keeps the growth medium moist but not soaking. </div>
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And so, it's a month later than I hoped it'd be, but it seems that we're on our way to having fresh, home-grown strawberries! </div>
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Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00771730286325107611noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3141108566177795594.post-53222081986411583882014-10-10T22:51:00.002-04:002014-10-13T10:35:39.696-04:00Aerogarden Strawberry Crowns - Try Try AgainSo, here's the latest on my saga with Aerogarden strawberries.<br />
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If you recall, I planted my strawberries into my Aerogarden ULTRA as soon as I got them on 9/9. One plant grew nicely but the others were just dried out twigs (in fact, some of them disintegrated into dust when I snapped them in half). The customer service rep insisted that they were in a "dormant" state and they'd germinate eventually, sort of implying that I should be a little more patient and give it more time. But that said, she was kind enough to go ahead and send me a replacement set of crowns, no questions asked.<br />
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The replacements arrived on 9/20. The new batch seemed as dead as the other ones, but I threw caution to the wind and planted them. Both packages had been sent UPS Surepost, meaning they were kept in warehouse for multiple days before getting sent to the US Postal Service for delivery.<br />
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On 10/6 (more than two weeks later), I still saw no growth at all in any except for the first plant. I wrote to Aerogarden again explaining very clearly that 16 days had passed and there were no signs of growth at all. I got this curious reply:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcVVKrzi_PcyGfhBspcDaxlarvOJQQu8A5vld97FVrptySjewp8GFe5OA7Sy1BA2Fvq-qtuYoaZtW4Jx_L1k2T-L94vuPft5K7skINXxLQAvlDY1NYTPELfyttIIAWtqkKOW9hQzgPNwQ/s1600/Screen+Shot+2014-10-08+at+11.50.40+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcVVKrzi_PcyGfhBspcDaxlarvOJQQu8A5vld97FVrptySjewp8GFe5OA7Sy1BA2Fvq-qtuYoaZtW4Jx_L1k2T-L94vuPft5K7skINXxLQAvlDY1NYTPELfyttIIAWtqkKOW9hQzgPNwQ/s1600/Screen+Shot+2014-10-08+at+11.50.40+AM.png" height="183" width="320" /></a></div>
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I was ready to get upset, but no sooner did I get the email above that I got an order confirmation in the mail saying the rep had placed a replacement order of new crowns for me. And happily, this time instead of going UPS Not-So-Surepost, they were going UPS Ground.<br />
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Sure enough, I received the order in four days--on 10/10/14. I felt vindicated in writing to Aerogarden at 16 days because after exactly 21 days (okay, 20 days and 15 hours), the new set of plants clearly never grew.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBHmICxbkALfE7OpFZUcuxmDx99kS8Xc29fAYnsHEqvmO9mdZkQkifGr4mMLR_mKNCHZvCoKVVisyJY12qfsu4OVfH2-5icoOQLBU4WRMTpqojjIc2N3YlXn3sBfKyeynpTFoo9WG-j9I/s1600/IMG_4765.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" /><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBHmICxbkALfE7OpFZUcuxmDx99kS8Xc29fAYnsHEqvmO9mdZkQkifGr4mMLR_mKNCHZvCoKVVisyJY12qfsu4OVfH2-5icoOQLBU4WRMTpqojjIc2N3YlXn3sBfKyeynpTFoo9WG-j9I/s1600/IMG_4765.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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Now ironically, the one plant that grew from the original batch is actually doing really well. In fact, when I looked more carefully, I can already see a little strawberry forming! Odd because I didn't even notice there was a flower there.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvhvkAa9Fdv6vp_5N41NUkwiRn9ZjW9D_ystb6P9DA614CNMSMFAifV0RLMmlFoMKttbv2qsWt_VlTJrhMoBoi6t-xM8ynucUJJhUN5hjGopYGwtd1JhM1bwTm1ahwxECNQua5iy0fj28/s1600/IMG_4766.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvhvkAa9Fdv6vp_5N41NUkwiRn9ZjW9D_ystb6P9DA614CNMSMFAifV0RLMmlFoMKttbv2qsWt_VlTJrhMoBoi6t-xM8ynucUJJhUN5hjGopYGwtd1JhM1bwTm1ahwxECNQua5iy0fj28/s1600/IMG_4766.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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But of the replacement set of crowns, not one grew. The only thing close to green is a layer of green algae that's forming on a couple of the plants (at least I hope it's algae).<br />
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I opened the new box as soon as I got it. Once again, the crowns didn't look quite like the picture on the Web site, but came wrapped in a plastic bag. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij8ZJ6yK3PCHE4UhnKz78y4ac54Z7Te8imoyxwk5ssChxpaG_7QaRs23YHNFULy3qtsWKETsYNZ-A9cCThgboMm7PP-dvEB19vYXa8e79AzRJ2t5P9LhlNflB57YTUlB0EqTSQKR4AfPw/s1600/IMG_4772.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij8ZJ6yK3PCHE4UhnKz78y4ac54Z7Te8imoyxwk5ssChxpaG_7QaRs23YHNFULy3qtsWKETsYNZ-A9cCThgboMm7PP-dvEB19vYXa8e79AzRJ2t5P9LhlNflB57YTUlB0EqTSQKR4AfPw/s1600/IMG_4772.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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But right away I felt a difference. While the other two orders were dusty and dried out, feeling the roots through the plastic bag, they were soft and pliable. </div>
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Similarly, when I took the crowns out, unlike the other two shipments which crumbled at the touch, I was able to separate nine distinct roots. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhewziEevkOfAL2MGZLHnadW0Nc1vwiBJSMDL55oO-DUL38mAZmO_e9ZmMf6_WahqWTIKQOmExP5CjiqpowT85hzGPogHRM_TqpOE1kPL4a_eL1dylIgllGDVHtZBKq45694xWuOUvF9D4/s1600/IMG_4778.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhewziEevkOfAL2MGZLHnadW0Nc1vwiBJSMDL55oO-DUL38mAZmO_e9ZmMf6_WahqWTIKQOmExP5CjiqpowT85hzGPogHRM_TqpOE1kPL4a_eL1dylIgllGDVHtZBKq45694xWuOUvF9D4/s1600/IMG_4778.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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Looking close-up, you can see that all of them have a little green in them and they look much healthier than the dried-out disintegrated twigs I showed you last time. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRMCfVeRO_OYEOC6hWqVh-eZ5mh4QrWCpOT52v5q_XC__Jkn6Vvqfv83-pfZ_50e2FsKLcGZFojNQJNVm8Y57a5H2ASWYpVE2S2sbAKaQvdYoxJAyvaEtULKBgUKdi2bDtZWhOrY7R_mc/s1600/IMG_4776.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRMCfVeRO_OYEOC6hWqVh-eZ5mh4QrWCpOT52v5q_XC__Jkn6Vvqfv83-pfZ_50e2FsKLcGZFojNQJNVm8Y57a5H2ASWYpVE2S2sbAKaQvdYoxJAyvaEtULKBgUKdi2bDtZWhOrY7R_mc/s1600/IMG_4776.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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I carefully planted all of them. For some reason it seemed like there was less Coco Chunk than before (perhaps they shrunk as they soaked up water) but thankfully my original Grow Bowl kit had come with more than enough to replenish it.<br />
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I also did a complete <a href="http://www.indoorgardener.org/2014/10/alternative-to-aerogardens-rinse-and.html" target="_blank">Rinse and Refill using my new siphon</a>, and refilled the unit with fresh water and nutrients.<br />
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So here's what the strawberry garden looks like now. Let's see in a few days if the third time is a charm.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIypNAL9uVaeRCy-zUY-1nqb9GieUX8zoYLD7R-RjzA5BAPTspiAsx_uOExuscHFQ0TX0fiom6UtAN83k9YAXr1EjXybF3XqS8yBQIcDjbUtTZN9eNVU51yUH_AI3cJG0N51JJnNmEQe0/s1600/IMG_4779.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIypNAL9uVaeRCy-zUY-1nqb9GieUX8zoYLD7R-RjzA5BAPTspiAsx_uOExuscHFQ0TX0fiom6UtAN83k9YAXr1EjXybF3XqS8yBQIcDjbUtTZN9eNVU51yUH_AI3cJG0N51JJnNmEQe0/s1600/IMG_4779.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00771730286325107611noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3141108566177795594.post-65119969889957160912014-10-04T14:34:00.000-04:002014-10-05T11:05:44.867-04:00Alternative to Aerogarden's Rinse and Refill SiphonIt's now been over a week since I planted the "new" plants from Aerogarden, and I don't see one speck of green. I fear that yet again, what Aerogrow calls "dormant" plants is really just a bunch of dried out twigs with no life in them. I'll give it a few more days before calling them, but they really, really need to work on their quality control. In the meantime, the one plant that is growing is still doing well.<br />
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I've had to refill the water tank a few times. It's a little tricky, because you definitely don't want to fill it when the pump is running, but even when the pump is off you need to be careful to keep slightly below the fill line, or you'll get water all over (and who knows, this might short out the ULTRA yet again).<br />
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One phenomenon you notice very quickly when growing Aerogarden Strawberries (or anything in the Grow Bowl) is that the more the bowl fills up and drains with water the gunkier the water gets. Here's a picture of how brown the water is after 2-3 weeks of filling and draining.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhObIkIGb-OqhamkTWtpES_HreQC8cPeIhhhaUXtNb6-pmny0Q8IDAPWFw7WDcGM8t9AClw9gYrF6mqQE4hiC87v-Q87ClmzRRFNWFMAhmBvyTuOFJu5FqmXjrSVr-cL7QdVFykKxeAh3s/s1600/IMG_4561.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhObIkIGb-OqhamkTWtpES_HreQC8cPeIhhhaUXtNb6-pmny0Q8IDAPWFw7WDcGM8t9AClw9gYrF6mqQE4hiC87v-Q87ClmzRRFNWFMAhmBvyTuOFJu5FqmXjrSVr-cL7QdVFykKxeAh3s/s1600/IMG_4561.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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Even in a regular Aerogarden, the water can get really gunky and disgusting. And it's a pain to drain the water, especially when the plants are huge and the roots are heavy. As I've shown you in the past, you need to carry the whole thing to the sink, gently lift the plants off without breaking the roots, drain the water, refill it, and set everything back.<br />
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Aerogarden does suggest you siphon it and drain it (and conveniently, they sell a product called the "Rinse and Refill Siphon". While I'm usually a big fan of Aerogarden's products (I bought everything from an Oxygen Booster Kit to a Herb 'n Serve Salad Dressing Maker to a Master Chef Herb Guide to ice trays), the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004M5SVA0/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B004M5SVA0&linkCode=as2&tag=namethathymnl-20&linkId=SAPSROT5X2IO7PVQ">Amazon reviews for the Rinse and Refill Siphon</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=namethathymnl-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B004M5SVA0" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />
are not very promising. They use words like cheap, flimsy, air leaks, and others.<br />
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One reviewer very helpfully posted a link for <a href="http://www.amazon.com/s/?_encoding=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&field-keywords=siphon%20pump&linkCode=ur2&sprefix=siphon%2Cautomotive%2C209&tag=namethathymnl-20&url=search-alias%3Dautomotive&linkId=SIL3GXIOVTLKNXWG" target="_blank">alternatives to Rinse and Refill Siphon</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=namethathymnl-20&l=ur2&o=1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /> in the Automotive department. Admittedly, there's a part of me that feels more comfortable ordering Aerogarden-branded products (which is why I'm their perfect customer--for years I didn't think twice about ordering a light bulb for $12 until I realized there were <a href="http://www.indoorgardener.org/2013/11/cheap-alternative-for-aerogarden-grow.html" target="_blank">alternatives</a>).<br />
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In this case, I took the reviewer's advice and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00APU2YLI/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00APU2YLI&linkCode=as2&tag=namethathymnl-20&linkId=GPF7V4HLXF6MIQDD">ended up buying this TRDP14 Siphon Manual Hand Liquid Transfer Pump</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=namethathymnl-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B00APU2YLI" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />
based on its great reviews.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUQtd-tKWhfk5-VaLwR9-7r5Ul_VDbbJ5NZU2e14jWTqCNLtTsZ8TeWssSXDIB1EInnPNZjptjDqfmZ2t3bzbDeb_KUARTGtfDWWO0NTZDGo1YnYLpBuQsnNFg0iXaoCCnTBtKklU4dGc/s1600/IMG_4753.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUQtd-tKWhfk5-VaLwR9-7r5Ul_VDbbJ5NZU2e14jWTqCNLtTsZ8TeWssSXDIB1EInnPNZjptjDqfmZ2t3bzbDeb_KUARTGtfDWWO0NTZDGo1YnYLpBuQsnNFg0iXaoCCnTBtKklU4dGc/s1600/IMG_4753.JPG" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
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For $4 shipped, it was a lot more economical than the $12.95 Aerogrow wanted. I tried it out and it worked like a charm.<br />
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First, you need to get a bucket, or in my case a gallon milk container. Next, you close the screw valve on top of squeeze bulb. Put the end of the long straight white tube into the place where you fill the Aerogarden with water.<br />
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Next, give a few squeezes until the liquid is flowing. Assuming you're holding the pump at the right angle, gravity will take over and the water will flow from the Aerogarden through the flexible tube into your bucket.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNf4JSR2KoUPoOVyT4i0muEyqLxMlCfufHmnV84AU901ILnqIYunqdePHqsIYVGB-k_WrzoTDNoK_0UY-PrHctgezyDqidWtNKeNOj1OJb9ifOLE0wZMIVG2xCwvgIH4wzMfyH8fLi2mU/s1600/IMG_4740.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNf4JSR2KoUPoOVyT4i0muEyqLxMlCfufHmnV84AU901ILnqIYunqdePHqsIYVGB-k_WrzoTDNoK_0UY-PrHctgezyDqidWtNKeNOj1OJb9ifOLE0wZMIVG2xCwvgIH4wzMfyH8fLi2mU/s1600/IMG_4740.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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Slurp up as much of the water until it's empty. At any point you want to stop (say, if your bucket is getting full), you can open the twist valve to break the siphon, stopping the flow.<br />
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Use care removing the siphon device, giving time for the remaining liquid to drain out of both tubes. Last thing you want is for brown gunky water to get all over the place.<br />
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Finally, you can dump your old water into the sink or toilet and refill your Aerogarden with fresh water and nutrients.<br />
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I'd highly, highly suggest getting this product instead of the one that Aerogrow sells, as it's cheaper, easier to handle. I was debating whether to get the smaller red one of the bigger blue one, but for purposes of the Aerogarden the red one is perfect.<br />
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<br />Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00771730286325107611noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3141108566177795594.post-41771545652192296702014-09-27T11:40:00.000-04:002014-10-09T12:06:07.086-04:00Gerbera Daisy (Gerbera jamesonii) - Best Air Cleaning Plant #5One thing you may have noticed is that our list of air cleaning houseplants is that none of them so far have been flowering plants. Sure, plants like the Mass Cane are capable to producing flowers, but as houseplants they rarely ever do.<br />
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Which brings us to #5 on the list-gerbera daisies.<br />
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Gerbera daisies are a bit of a misnomer, as they're not really daisies, but in the sunflower family (Asteraceae). You can tell by the sturdy stems, thick leaves, and the shapes of the petals on the flowers. Gerbera daisies are native to southern Africa, and come in all kinds of beautiful colors. Its natural states are yellow, red, and orange, but growers have managed to produce pink, white, salmon, cream, and crimson flowers. In some cases, the same flower can even have petals of different colors. It's a perennial plant, meaning that if you grow it outdoors (in a frost-free climate) it'll wilt and look dead over the winter but pop back up in the spring.<br />
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The gerbera daisy (also called "gerber daisies" or "African daisies")--and in fact the entire genus--was named in 1737 by Dutchman Jan Fredric Gronovius in honor of an 18th century German medical doctor, naturalist, and botanist named Traugott Gerber. Gerber worked as a medical doctor in Russia and also took medical expeditions around the work searching for medicinal plants and herbs. Funny thing is, no one knows exactly why Gronovius decided to name the genus after him, but with over 30 species in the wild and over 100 species in total, the name stuck.<br />
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For years I worked at 1-800-Flowers, and that's where I first found out that Gerbera daisies are a popular cut flower (in fact, they're the fifth most popular cut flower behind roses, carnations, mums, and tulips). Here's one of their more popular arrangements:<br />
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<a href="http://click.linksynergy.com/link?id=T0*xgb9K*MQ&offerid=216823.10933&type=2&murl=http%3A%2F%2Flink.mercent.com%2Fredirect.ashx%3Fmr%3AmerchantID%3DOneEHFlowers%26mr%3AtrackingCode%3D6707E293-27D8-E111-8DC4-001B21631C34%26mr%3AtargetUrl%3Dhttp%3A%2F%2Fwww.1800flowers.com%2Frefer.do%253fp%253d90618%2526cm_mmc%253dim_datafeed-_-merc-_-Linkshare-_-90618%2526lssku%253d90618%2526r%253dlinksharedfeed"><img border="0" src="http://media5.1800flowers.com/800f_assets/images/flowers/images/shop/catalog/90618MV2z.jpg" height="200" width="182" /></a><img border="0" src="http://ad.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/show?id=T0*xgb9K*MQ&bids=216823.10933&type=2&subid=0" height="1" width="1" /></div>
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As pretty as these flowers are, I always felt it kind of a waste that someone would pay upwards of $70 for two dozen of these, and they'd just die after a few weeks.<br />
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The cool thing about Gerberas, though, i that they make a good houseplant as well. In other words, not only will the flowers last for weeks, if the plant is well cared for, it'll bloom indoors in the autumn and winter.<br />
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I was excited to order my first-ever Gerbera daisy houseplant, again from 1-800-Flowers.<br />
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<a href="http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/click?id=T0*xgb9K*MQ&subid=&offerid=216823.1&type=10&tmpid=6269&RD_PARM1=http%253A%252F%252Fwww3.1800flowers.com%252Flucky-ladybug-18549"><img alt="icon" border="0" src="http://cdn1.1800flowers.com/wcsstore/Flowers/images/catalog/18549z.jpg" height="200" width="182" /></a>
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It's a bit pricier, but I've never, ever had a problem with plants from 1-800-Flowers, and buying from cheap places like K-mart always end up costing me more (saving $5 on a bag of potting soil has ended up costing me $50 and counting in fungus gnat remediation).<br />
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This is what I got in the mail.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisUHiWMYnHmwEmkgFDiEhDzoLN1DW-SMBFWWyfXMLZVi8LMgz5eNRyj_PSzilXfXBZxJ9hBG_BP7kMmzyhmW90YytlA21Xa90hg0xQOOG5rRKvSXkTOJD8rDH2XFHIENJ2H1oLwdwDK_c/s1600/IMG_4600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisUHiWMYnHmwEmkgFDiEhDzoLN1DW-SMBFWWyfXMLZVi8LMgz5eNRyj_PSzilXfXBZxJ9hBG_BP7kMmzyhmW90YytlA21Xa90hg0xQOOG5rRKvSXkTOJD8rDH2XFHIENJ2H1oLwdwDK_c/s1600/IMG_4600.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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Yes, a little disappointing that there are only two flowers and not nearly as many leaves as in the photo, but hopefully with some TLC more flowers and leaves will be growing. The plant is in excellent health, with no dead leaves, vibrant flowers, strong stems, and NO FUNGUS GNATS.<br />
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I also absolutely love the ladybug planter, which comes with a plastic insert for you to transplant the plant in from the small container it comes in.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcW_T0BmYg3ik1UYgtXck56sYRg9QqRQTpNdGvaXOAh-Sqb8vE44oAJHdVutYuiR7A70d0w_kinvlCTM6nAeKpNnH__yO0XXj0JTquySmE-Lz3jiSnGdOm4lGQ4R64qh3vvSCGgDKYdu8/s1600/IMG_4598.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcW_T0BmYg3ik1UYgtXck56sYRg9QqRQTpNdGvaXOAh-Sqb8vE44oAJHdVutYuiR7A70d0w_kinvlCTM6nAeKpNnH__yO0XXj0JTquySmE-Lz3jiSnGdOm4lGQ4R64qh3vvSCGgDKYdu8/s1600/IMG_4598.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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Overall, it's not a bad little gift to give to someone. As for me, I'm going to transplant it in a bigger pot hoping for a lot of flowers and growth. </div>
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Like the English Ivy, the gerbera daisy gets one of the highest ratings for removal of chemical vapors from Dr. Wolverton. </div>
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Some care tips: </div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20.7900009155273px;">1) </span><b style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20.7900009155273px;">Temperature: </b><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20.7900009155273px;">Keep between 60-65 degrees Fahrenheit in the daytime and 45-50 degrees at night. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20.7900009155273px;">2) </span><b style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20.7900009155273px;">Sunlight: </b><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20.7900009155273px;">It likes full sunlight to semi-sun, but you need to protect it from the sun at midday to prevent the blooms from aging too quickly.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20.7900009155273px;">3) </span><b style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20.7900009155273px;">Care and feeding: </b><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20.7900009155273px;">Keep soil evenly moist but not soggy. Feed regularly during the growing season. Keep on a cool windowsill in the autumn and winter months. </span><br />
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Update: A few weeks after repotting the daisy, the two flowers started drooping. Thanks to sites like the <a href="http://www.garden.org/searchqa/index.php?q=show&id=6243&ps=4&keyword=watering&adv=0" target="_blank">National Gardening Association's</a>, I realized I was not alone and that this was a fairly common problem. Here are some tips I found:</div>
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1) Keeping the leaves healthy is more important than the flowers--if the flowers wilt, just cut them off. As long as you continue to keep the leaves fed, sturdy, and green, new flowers that are more acclimated to your environment will take their place. </div>
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2) Temperature is important. Gerbera daisies like it cooler than most plants, so find that perfect spot in the house where they get good sunlight in the morning but are otherwise shady and cool.</div>
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Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00771730286325107611noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3141108566177795594.post-26674663175999228002014-09-20T12:21:00.000-04:002014-10-13T10:35:21.920-04:00Replacement Aerogarden Strawberries ArriveWell, as I prognosticated, only one of the clumps of twigs and dirt that Aerogrow sent over managed to grow. "Dormant State" indeed! Although I must say, the one plant that DID grow is growing very well.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAkKHe-c_6-M_eHPHTFEKEyWmSG6MM3x5Yq_-4r9_ys0nrvV0pbdQlw4aZihSNagdyj-0gjmAdnwmUAPmjarDWMSpD3uTXc-DMixSIXVt_l0sxurLw-GAlxtSNMth4uao3XXlri2gD-BE/s1600/IMG_4519.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" /><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAkKHe-c_6-M_eHPHTFEKEyWmSG6MM3x5Yq_-4r9_ys0nrvV0pbdQlw4aZihSNagdyj-0gjmAdnwmUAPmjarDWMSpD3uTXc-DMixSIXVt_l0sxurLw-GAlxtSNMth4uao3XXlri2gD-BE/s1600/IMG_4519.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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To the Aerogrow lady's credit, she did send over a new set of strawberry crowns. I got the package in the mail about two weeks after she said she'd send it.<br />
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I like the fact that it says "LIVE PLANTS! PLEASE OPEN IMMEDIATELY", but I still question the decision of Aerogarden to send it via UPS SmartPost, a service that saves money by deliberately holding packages in a warehouse for days before sending it to you.<br />
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The first thing I did was to remove the strawberry crowns that did not grow. They were a muddy mess with absolutely no indication that they'd even tried to sprout. </div>
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Taking the new "crowns" out of the box, they didn't look much better than the ones I was sent before.<br />
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Although this time, instead of crumbling when I touched them and seeing powdery white mold on it, I did see small indications of green. Still not quite what they picture on their Web site, but if it grows I won't mind. </div>
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And so, I followed the instructions again and dug into the Coco Chunk to plant the strawberry plants. They say that 10 are supposed to come in a package, but after separating them as best as I could, I found maybe three decent sized plants, and the rest were twigs. We'll see how many grow this time.<br />
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Again, the proper way to grow them is to plant them root side down into the growing medium and let the Aerogarden water it every hour by filling the tank and draining it.<br />
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And so now the waiting game starts. Let's see if this new batch grows any better than the old one. </div>
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<br />Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00771730286325107611noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3141108566177795594.post-51571378970301268722014-09-09T13:44:00.000-04:002014-10-13T10:35:29.353-04:00Aerogarden Strawberry Kit - Can you Really Grow Strawberries indoors? If you've been following this blog you know I've grown just about everything there is to grow in an Aerogarden (at least legally). I've gone through herbs, tomatoes, lettuce, cabbage, peppers, and flowers. In short, I've been a sucker every time Aerogrow decides to release something new.<br />
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With my Aerogarden Ultra back in action I decided to do something I wanted to do for a long time--send away for the Aerogarden Strawberry Kit. Now for years people have been experimenting with strawberry plants in the Aerogarden with limited success. I'm not sure the exact reason, but my guess is that it's because strawberries are really tough to grow from seed, so the best way to grow them is from cuttings which are rooted in an actual soil.<br />
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But recently, Aerogrow designed a new system that lets you root plants in an actual growing medium. And not surprisingly, the first kinds of plants they released were strawberries (although according to their site, their system also supports plants like orchids, bonsai, dwarf fruit trees, miniature roses, and more).<br />
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I'd love to try some of those other kinds of plants at some point, but because this would be my first experience I sent away for the Aerogarden Strawberry Kit, which I assume has the best chance for success.<br />
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The package arrived in the mail about a week after I ordered it using a service called "UPS SmartPost". This is where UPS delivers it to my local post office and the post office delivers it to me. What this usually means is an extended delay by the time the package gets to me, a fact that will become relevant as you read on.<br />
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Opening the box revealed a bunch of new plastic parts. It took me a while to figure out how they all go together, but once you realize how it's engineered you'll find that it's an ingenious way to "extend" the Aerogarden.<br />
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You actually have to do some minor surgery on your Ultra to make it work. Here's what you need to do:<br />
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1) Take your existing grow bowl and remove the top cover (with the holes to plant the seed pods in), and put it aside. You won't be needing it.<br />
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2) In the box is a smaller bowl that fits snugly on top of your main grow bowl. This is what's going to contain the growth medium, which I'll describe below.<br />
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3) You need to go into your big grow bowl and remove the long tube that sticks out of the pump. Again, put it aside as you won't be needing it, but you'll need it whenever you decide to convert your Aerogarden back to its original state.<br />
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Then, you'll replace it with a shorter tube that they provide you.<br />
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You then fit a plastic drain and "inlet nozzle" to the upper bowl<br />
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And then put the two together by putting the small bowl over the large bowl.<br />
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Here's what it'll look like, with the drainage plug in place. </div>
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4) You get two bags of growth medium. It's not soil, but something called "Chunk Coco Grow Media". If you don't want to use their growth medium, you can also use other media like aquarium gravel, perlite, or hydroton. Chunk Coco Grow Media looks like a bunch of wood and twigs broken into pieces the size of croutons. It turns out this is coconut fiber (basically chopped coconut shells) which turns out to be an ideal growing medium because it provide support for growing plants, provides sufficient oxygen, drains much more quickly than soil or sand, and is a renewable resource (no guilt throwing this in the trash).<br />
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You fill your bowl with this coconut fiber (the two bags they provide are more than sufficient to fill the bowl and have some left over). Prior to using it, you need to soak them in water to hydrate and expand them. This turned out to be a much more difficult exercise that I thought it would because as it turns out, wood floats. So I would follow the instructions and fill the plastic bag the coconut fiber came in with water only, only to see them float on top of the water and pop out. I figured out after a while that I just had to fill the bag halfway, tie the end of bag to seal it, and let the wood soak the water in that way.<br />
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Once your wood is soaked the rest of the process is pretty simple. You just pour it into the smaller bowl, and this will be where you plant your plants.<br />
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5) You also need to configure the computer for the AeroGrow Ultra. One thing I missed in the instructions is that you first have to set up using "Quick Plant" and choosing the cycle for "Flowers".<br />
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Then, you need to go in and modify the behavior of the pump so that every hour it pumps for two minutes and then it goes off for the other 58 minutes.<br />
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By setting the Aerogarden this way, your plants essentially get "rewatered" every hour when the water is pumped out of the lower bowl into the upper one. It's a rather clever way of simulating a hydrated fertile piece of ground. If you plant something other than strawberries, you'll need to experiment with different watering cycles--plants that like drier environments like orchids or bonsai may need only 2 minutes a week!<br />
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6) The next is planting. Unlike previous Aerogarden sets, you don't get a seed pod with the Strawberry kit, but actual live plants. Or so it's supposed to be. I think because I had my package delivered on a hot summer week using UPS SurePost (when these packages sit in warehouses for days at a time), what I got didn't look a lot like live plants.<br />
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Here's what I expected to see, photo courtesy of the Aerogarden Web site:<br />
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And here's what I got:<br />
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As bad as it looks in the picture, it looked worse in real life. It was just a clump of brown twigs and dirt that looked pretty dry and brittle. I could see that maybe two plants had the slighted hint of green in them, but the others were so dry they practically disintegrated when I touched them. In fact, a few had fuzzy mold growing on them.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgADJwsetUM6o1FeUhAC5RgdtkbN9H-azHoaBWUP49Y0YTc4VtcedJfK15Kw6yIz53abjXd1M2HTbdLXZjyEB_VXBrygLzozaFmBHDFJR9dRBv-IxXxEMkUkqoChM3O96bZGh2puF5GohM/s1600/IMG_3977.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgADJwsetUM6o1FeUhAC5RgdtkbN9H-azHoaBWUP49Y0YTc4VtcedJfK15Kw6yIz53abjXd1M2HTbdLXZjyEB_VXBrygLzozaFmBHDFJR9dRBv-IxXxEMkUkqoChM3O96bZGh2puF5GohM/s1600/IMG_3977.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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The package was supposed to have "ten plants", but for the life of me I had a hard to finding ten after trying to separate the dirt, dried roots, twigs, and dust.<br />
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I called AeroGrow and the woman there insisted to me that they were in a "dormant state" and that I should try planting them anyway. After a little bit of back-and-forth, she was kind enough to agree to send me a new set of plants, but I could tell from her voice she was skeptical. She said a new batch was on its way, but why don't I try planting them anyway and seeing what happens?<br />
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And so I did. To plant them, you basically have to put them root side down (again, it was a little tough telling which side was the root), push the coconut fiber aside, and basically cover all but a small portion of top of them with the medium.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqJGoDSdhz1w4DFniJGALkQu3-g8P63MEdtJN8Ea8-FSI1lQnDk9i6yZF82A8TRdTUzfoPUMJR6nqk7Nfp3hElnKBCDQ_kW6P21C66Bnqv-7TUadmwUkwniJNrDtjho6_dV5pQ8KT5mhE/s1600/IMG_3991.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqJGoDSdhz1w4DFniJGALkQu3-g8P63MEdtJN8Ea8-FSI1lQnDk9i6yZF82A8TRdTUzfoPUMJR6nqk7Nfp3hElnKBCDQ_kW6P21C66Bnqv-7TUadmwUkwniJNrDtjho6_dV5pQ8KT5mhE/s1600/IMG_3991.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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Here's what they looked like planted.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfvGdCoi0nCwz33-PJacsMcJvqId2G89JqiZRPNQKuBRQN3ak0ESPHk4OBpagtbU5vAo_W9oQ_jgOEYaw2JeXVRTdWPxxaEJYZ7R9lgSmXFaayd60H33XT288QOvsZbgsJct0wZaSM86E/s1600/IMG_3994.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfvGdCoi0nCwz33-PJacsMcJvqId2G89JqiZRPNQKuBRQN3ak0ESPHk4OBpagtbU5vAo_W9oQ_jgOEYaw2JeXVRTdWPxxaEJYZ7R9lgSmXFaayd60H33XT288QOvsZbgsJct0wZaSM86E/s1600/IMG_3994.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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I'm going to predict that maybe two of them are going to grow, but I'll bet dollars to doughnuts the rest won't. But to Aerogarden's credit, they'll be sending me more plants.<br />
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If you're interested in buying your own Aerogarden Strawberry Kit, bear in mind that first you need an Aerogarden ULTRA or ULTRA LED (it won't work with other kinds of Aerogardens, even tall garden ones due to the shape of the bowl and the type of pump).<br />
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If you have one of those, all you need to the <a href="http://www.tkqlhce.com/click-7621723-10643342" target="_top">AeroGarden Site</a><img border="0" src="http://www.awltovhc.com/image-7621723-10643342" height="1" width="1" />, click on "Seed Kits" in the top navigation (even though these are plants, not seeds), and search for "Aerogarden Grow Bowl and Strawberry Kit" (for the entire kit) or "Strawberry Crown Kit" (for just the plants).<br />
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<br />Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00771730286325107611noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3141108566177795594.post-55835763244022205432014-08-29T19:23:00.000-04:002014-09-29T10:24:13.960-04:00AeroGrow comes through with a replacement base for the ULTRA<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Autumn is nigh, and while that usually means harvest time, with indoor gardens it can mean planting time as well. So I'll be putting my obsession with air cleaning plants aside for a while and turn my attention back to Aerogardening.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Remember how I mentioned how I came from from traveling to find <a href="http://www.indoorgardener.org/2014/05/the-aerogarden-ultra-dies-pesto-and-old.html" target="_blank">my Aerogarden ULTRA dead</a> with a burning smell coming from it?, Well AeroGrow came through in a big way for me. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Specifically, they sent me a brand new base. Now when I first heard they were sending a new base I figured maybe they'd send me some new circuit boards or something and it'd be up to me to figure out how to rip out the old one and replace it. But no, they sent an entire base, complete with the ULTRA control pad and all power cables. And they also threw in a new set of lights to boot.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">I'm glad they're stepping up in this way, especially to make sure that the experience of "early adopters" is good (if you recall, I probably got one of the first 10 or so of these things off the assembly line). </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">The most obvious difference between the old base of the ULTRA and the new one is that the new one has more screws on the bottom and generally looks a little less "cheap" and flimsy. </span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhonbdEVUHQWlpu0Myh0m7io3YEG3qLPMOgEhNhoCk7goKk2vFh9dvEJHRo9Topn-C9vpF6dyHdcI-Z4vtUsc5WgGPtAlB-e2yEfbMhp1BEgQ56QGA5YaKed8-tRvqeK1ZaI3bP82EwkYs/s1600/IMG_3915.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhonbdEVUHQWlpu0Myh0m7io3YEG3qLPMOgEhNhoCk7goKk2vFh9dvEJHRo9Topn-C9vpF6dyHdcI-Z4vtUsc5WgGPtAlB-e2yEfbMhp1BEgQ56QGA5YaKed8-tRvqeK1ZaI3bP82EwkYs/s1600/IMG_3915.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">While they were never 100% clear of what the defect in the old models is, it's probable that when users over-watered their gardens (a common occurrence given how hard it is to see the water line), the water would spill over right into the circuitry and cause a short circuit. The replacement cover they sent honestly didn't look too much different from the old cover (I think there were just extra edges molded in), but this new model looks like they did a bit more of a redesign. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Installing the new base was a snap (literally). I needed to unhook the old grow light hook from the old, burned-out base...</span></span><br />
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And snap it into the new one.</div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">And so begins another adventure in Aerogardening. And this time I'm going to be adventurous! Stay tuned. </span></span>Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00771730286325107611noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3141108566177795594.post-23562830544567354802014-08-22T17:11:00.000-04:002014-10-05T10:56:35.899-04:00Dumb Cane (Dieffenbachia camilla): Best Air Cleaning Plant #18There are actually two plants by go by the name of "Dumb Cane", the <i>Dieffenbachia "Exotica Compacta"</i> and the <i>Dieffenbachia camilla</i>. The differences have to do with the variegation. Both have broad, green leaves, but <i>Exotica Compacta</i> seems to have a more "splotchy" look to the whiteness in the middle of the leaf, while <i>Camilla</i><b style="font-style: italic;"> </b>(pictured here) has a more solid white pattern.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzDpXDKJORj2kSgdqk7lc3bzmTCzxJnjO_lWCRgMYMpA3uwSHW0_XfW0g08QCDAoJ5YjMk9GQ01HG30QuVnH-9g3BURuJ2oXF7tGnUDkV_1UXS9gocjY3NwwVRZfQ0vY3iEhWyZze8cvE/s1600/IMG_3886.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzDpXDKJORj2kSgdqk7lc3bzmTCzxJnjO_lWCRgMYMpA3uwSHW0_XfW0g08QCDAoJ5YjMk9GQ01HG30QuVnH-9g3BURuJ2oXF7tGnUDkV_1UXS9gocjY3NwwVRZfQ0vY3iEhWyZze8cvE/s1600/IMG_3886.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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In either case, they have similar air cleaning qualities and both are stunningly beautiful houseplants.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_ADEYw9A6-un9LG_8Y6g7zlx5eipl9PrqK3LaQXUO4rVFdyLaOm4OzF4tPp9OBOQn2TXzFC8uVttk8Y_0nukzTaorMbfAHPhgknRsW3BwBCheiW9av7EmgGsPijoOGM2sOCSQIcB8G3A/s1600/IMG_3884.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_ADEYw9A6-un9LG_8Y6g7zlx5eipl9PrqK3LaQXUO4rVFdyLaOm4OzF4tPp9OBOQn2TXzFC8uVttk8Y_0nukzTaorMbfAHPhgknRsW3BwBCheiW9av7EmgGsPijoOGM2sOCSQIcB8G3A/s1600/IMG_3884.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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The reason it's called "dumb cane" is interesting. Their sap contains calcium oxalate. You might recall this also occurs in Golden Pothos; as with that plant, if you bite into any part of the plant it can cause your throat to swell and you can lose your speech for several days. This is why you want to keep these plants far from children and pets.<br />
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You'll want to keep these plants in bright, filtered light; if the setting is too dark the leaves can lose their variegation. It's another plant that's easy to grow and just requires fertilization every month and to be always kept moist (misting is also good for it).<br />
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You can purchase this plant at most plant stores, or if you can get a <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00FM1YMKG/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00FM1YMKG&linkCode=as2&tag=namethathymnl-20&linkId=SKHLCYXCMAHFAEYX">Dieffenbachia on Amazon from various sellers</a>.<img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=namethathymnl-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B00FM1YMKG" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
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Some care tips:<br />
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1) <b>Temperature: </b>Keep between 65-80 degrees Fahrenheit.<br />
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2) <b>Sunlight: </b>It likes bright, filtered light such as what you find by a window.<br />
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3) <b>Care and feeding: </b>Keep soil evenly moist but not soggy. Feed monthly and keep away from drafts.Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00771730286325107611noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3141108566177795594.post-75413568745568441692014-08-15T16:56:00.000-04:002014-10-05T10:56:45.688-04:00Corn Plant (Dracaena fragrans "Massangeana"): Best Air Cleaning Plant #12The corn plant is a bit of a misnomer, as it has nothing to do with corn. But if you've ever shucked corn, you'll understand where the name comes from. The thick, green leaves that grow from the plant have a similar color, texture, and thickness as leaves you peel off of corn. In addition, the thick, round cane (main stem) of the plant is a solid woody stem with a light brown color that puts you in the mind of a corn husk or hull.<br />
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The plant is also known by a few other names, most commonly the cornstalk dracaena, the mass cane plant, or <i style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">Dracaena fragrans. </i>The latin name contains the word "fragrans" because when it grows in the wild it produces highly fragrant flowers. As a houseplant, though, it rarely blooms so most of the time it's grown as just a green plant.<br />
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You'll also hear the plant referred to as a "Mass Cane", which is short for "Massangeana Cane", one of the most popular variegated cultivars that you'll find in most shops--typically the variegation will be a yellow stripe down the middle of each left. Mine was supposed to be a Mass Cane, but it looks like it pretty much reverted to its original form as mine doesn't have any yellow stripes.<br />
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The plant is native to tropical Africa, from the Sudan to Mozambique to the Ivory Coast to Angola. There, they're generally grown as shrubs or hedge plants, as they thrive in the warm, wet climate. That same hardiness makes them practically indestructible houseplants. I speak from experience; I bought the corn plant you see here from <a href="http://click.linksynergy.com/link?id=T0*xgb9K*MQ&offerid=216823.10649&type=2&murl=http%3A%2F%2Flink.mercent.com%2Fredirect.ashx%3Fmr%3AmerchantID%3DOneEHFlowers%26mr%3AtrackingCode%3D27AEC096-4BC5-E111-8DC4-001B21631C34%26mr%3AtargetUrl%3Dhttp%3A%2F%2Fwww.1800flowers.com%2Frefer.do%253fp%253d101083%2526cm_mmc%253dim_datafeed-_-merc-_-Linkshare-_-101083%2526lssku%253d101083%2526r%253dlinksharedfeed">1-800-Flowers</a><img border="0" src="http://ad.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/show?id=T0*xgb9K*MQ&bids=216823.10649&type=2&subid=0" height="1" width="1" /> on September 18, 2009. Now, exactly five years later, the plant has survived a massive fungus gnat infestation, a repotting where the root ball was so heavy I accidentally broke most of it in the process, long periods of time without water (the soil would literally be dry to the point of cracking), and a spot in the house away from the window that gets no direct sunlight. While I had to trim a lot of it, and you can see a new offset growing at the bottom of the pot, the plant you see here is pretty much the same as I was five years ago.<br />
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It's a versatile plant as well. Some let the cane grow long and tall, while others will cut the cane and cap it, letting offshoots grow off to the sides (which is what I have here). The Janet Craig and the Warneckii cultivars we've already talked about all have their roots (no pun intended) in the dracaena fragrans.<br />
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This is probably one of the best plants for someone new to plants to grow, because it's virtually indestructible as long as you remember to water it every now and again. While it prefers bright light, you can put it in a part of the house that gets almost no light and it'll be just fine. The plant is exceptional at removing formaldehyde from the air.<br />
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You can purchase a <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00N64PIH2/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00N64PIH2&linkCode=as2&tag=namethathymnl-20&linkId=HO5HNYH5H5Z7BU5C">6" version at Amazon</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=namethathymnl-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B00N64PIH2" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /> that you can grow from a small plant, or if you prefer a full-grown plant that's going to last years I'd suggest doing what I did and going to a site like Home Depot or 1-800-Flowers.Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00771730286325107611noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3141108566177795594.post-60576670998851034642014-08-05T15:53:00.001-04:002014-10-05T10:56:53.612-04:00Areca Palm (Chrysalidocarpus lutescens): Best Air Cleaning Plant #2The Areca Palm goes by a number of names: yellow palm, the butterfly palm. bamboo palm, or golden cane palm. It's native to Madagascar, where it grows in tropical rain forests or near moist river beds. It has since been naturalized to a number of islands near Africa, the Carribean, and Central and South America, basically any region that's tropical or subtropical and humid. And of course, it's one of the most popular houseplants in the world.<br />
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The Areca Palm is the only plant on Dr. Wolverton's list that gets a 10 out of 10 for transpiration--the rate at which it releases moisture back into the air. In fact, a 6 foot areca palm can release about one whole quart of water into the air every 24 hours, making it a great natural humidifier. Of course, this water has to come from somewhere, which means keeping watering it a LOT. You need to keep the root ball ball damp, mist regularly (at least daily), and provide humidity as much as you can, especially in a dry office or home environment (for example, putting it in a subirrigation planter or placing the planter on a bowl of rocks with water).<br />
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Ironically, while I talked earlier about how overwatering plants can cause excessive soil mites and fungus gnats, underwatering the areca palm can have the same effect, attracting nasties like spider mites, which thrive under hot, dry conditions.<br />
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Of course I can't talk about plants I buy at Kmart without finding something to complain about. And in this case, when I brought the Palm home I first notice a couple scale insects on the leaves (one pest I haven't had to deal with so far), which I immediately plucked off the plan. Luckily, it didn't look like an infestation, probably just a few that migrated over from neighboring plants. Again, great job by the Kmart in Manhattan.<br />
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After I got home, I noticed "freckles" (or if you prefer, "speckles" or "spots") all over the stems. Weirder still, I found that if I wiped them with a wet and slightly abrasive cloth (like a paper towel) they'd come right off.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh697JDYH9eee5fV5CE-RYEYTnTp-D9zOzTiCXWB-e1vsKh_0k7neQ5mwrwxl4OezhZbx927U-XG7-gMuDzIzO1QCS6CedKKF6zhlCMm90MHkswEb4Og7PP3jqsyveR-44D2_QQDyELoYc/s1600/IMG_2550.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh697JDYH9eee5fV5CE-RYEYTnTp-D9zOzTiCXWB-e1vsKh_0k7neQ5mwrwxl4OezhZbx927U-XG7-gMuDzIzO1QCS6CedKKF6zhlCMm90MHkswEb4Og7PP3jqsyveR-44D2_QQDyELoYc/s1600/IMG_2550.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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I was perplexed as to what these were. I Googled it, and while I found a few others who encountered the same thing, no one seemed to know what they were. The one thing I learned is that people on the Internet love to talk about stuff they know nothing about. Some people swore these were more scale insects, but after a slight moment of panic I discounter this because they simply don't have the icky "bump" you generally see with scale. Others speculated that it's something called "flyspeck fungus". Some websites report that if you see spotting or speckling on leaves (but they didn't mention stems) it's an indication that there were salts or minerals in the water, as Arecas have the ability to move salt accumulations to selected branches (when the branches get saturated they'll die and you need to remove them, but the damage will be isolated to that frond). And others said this is just a natural phenomenon that happens with all Arecas. </div>
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Just to be safe, I took a paper towel and some dish soap and scrubbed each of the stems. There's still spotting on them but it's a lot less than before.</div>
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I brought the plant to the office. Here's what it looks like right now: </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirYp-Hjl5XovuyLP6yu5_qRk_6j1SasPM-CI67qtCcEPu3CM7GvtSjhiZieP8EqJOWUE-gPhVRMLPfLquJWQCHHlVQRqjrf9yaSlohhVUjq_R4l2XFFNOSRNCYt9_zk6qzL1NIU3j4vhw/s1600/IMG_2607.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirYp-Hjl5XovuyLP6yu5_qRk_6j1SasPM-CI67qtCcEPu3CM7GvtSjhiZieP8EqJOWUE-gPhVRMLPfLquJWQCHHlVQRqjrf9yaSlohhVUjq_R4l2XFFNOSRNCYt9_zk6qzL1NIU3j4vhw/s1600/IMG_2607.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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Arecas like indirect light, as direct sunlight can easily burn the leaves. I do have a corner of my office window that never gets direct sunlight, so I'll leave it there for a while. It helps that I have access to spring water outside my office, so I'll use that to water the plant to prevent it from having to deal with things like fluoride and salts in tap water.<br />
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My next step is going to be to repot it; while Arecas are okay being pot-bound, the current pot is too small for it to grow from its current height of about 2 feet to its standard indoor size of 6-8 feet (outdoors it can grow to 25 feet). This would require a pot that's about double what I have now.<br />
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As for the air-cleaning properties of the plant, this one ranks near the top. It removes benzene, formaldehyde, and trichloroethylene from the air.<br />
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If you're interested in an Areca Palm, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00B9Q8OCU/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00B9Q8OCU&linkCode=as2&tag=namethathymnl-20&linkId=5GIBN3EKMJVGW2G5">this seller on Amazon</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=namethathymnl-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B00B9Q8OCU" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /> is selling them, and of course you'll find them in most home centers and plant stores. <br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20.790000915527344px;">Some care tips:</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20.790000915527344px;">1) </span><b style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20.790000915527344px;">Temperature: </b><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20.790000915527344px;">Keep between 65-75 degrees Fahrenheit.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20.790000915527344px;">2) </span><b style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20.790000915527344px;">Sunlight: </b><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20.790000915527344px;">As much light as it can get without getting direct sunlight. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20.790000915527344px;">3) </span><b style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20.790000915527344px;">Care and feeding:</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20.790000915527344px;"> Keep the root ball damp but avoid having the pot sit in water, which can cause root rot. Mist frequently to keep a good appearance. keep spider mites away, and give it the humidity it craves and will pay back in the form of great transpiration. </span><br />
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UPDATE: sadly, I didn't take my own advice. I went on a two week vacation and forgot to tell anyone to water my plant, so I came back to my Areca slumped over and dried out to the point of being brittle. No great loss, as I figure next time I'll buy it from Amazon or Home Depot or somewhere other than Kmart. I'll post pictures when I get my new Areca in.<br />
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<br />Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00771730286325107611noreply@blogger.com0