MENA Gardens

[Cathi 5,755]

I do have some windows with south and west exposure, but they are not large enough to do any substantial growing in them. I do have mint though. I have indoor plants, but none that flower. I attempted to do gardenias in the house and I failed miserably. I have a covered porch, but I can't do the redneck greenhouse thing as it gets into the single digits and lower at night and the teens during the day.

[Nasturtium 500]

Gardenias indoors isn't going to work unless you'd be willing to recreate outdoors inside- -which kind of ruins the point of central heat and air.

There really is no such thing, though, as a window area too small to do substantial growing. Take it from WOM and me.

Speaking of, I've been gawking at some Catt alliance orchids I reallllly want. The internet is so evil. I'm thinking of: Pot. Susan Fender 'Cinnamon Stick,' Blc. Mem. Grant Eichler "Lennette," Blc. Sea Swirl 'Whirlpool,' or Lc. Canhamiana fma. coerulea "Azure Skies."

[PalestineMyHeart 1,897]

I do have some windows with south and west exposure, but they are not large enough to do any substantial growing in them. I do have mint though. I have indoor plants, but none that flower. I attempted to do gardenias in the house and I failed miserably. I have a covered porch, but I can't do the redneck greenhouse thing as it gets into the single digits and lower at night and the teens during the day.

Even a small windowsill can do a lot if it gets good sun... the first window is southern exposure, the second is eastern - but morning sun is enough to keep many things happy:

(Those are my vandas in the baskets hanging from the shower rod - they have to come inside when it gets under 50 degrees.)

Julianna - I will look up those cats... and will post pics of my new cat activity tomorrow...

[Nasturtium 500]

Ooo what colors are your Schlumbergeras?

[PalestineMyHeart 1,897]

One is hot pink and one is red......

[Nasturtium 500]

Schlumbergeras are actually my most favorite plant aside from actual violets (viola). Orchids, begonias, and AVs actually rank second lol. I don't think we ever talked about them. I just noticed them in your shot.

[PalestineMyHeart 1,897]

Schlumbergeras are actually my most favorite plant aside from actual violets (viola). Orchids, begonias, and AVs actually rank second lol. I don't think we ever talked about them. I just noticed them in your shot.

Good eye ! I have had these two specimens for several years... they don't ask for much, just stay in that eastern window. If I keep them in the living room they will never bloom - it gets too much artificial light in the evening. That bathroom window is a mostly natural-light-cycle environment, so they start setting blooms like clockwork every December.

Edited December 3, 2013 by Falastin_Qalbi

[Nasturtium 500]

I've got my eye on some new varieties (well, new to me) and plan on trading for most of them. We'll see how that goes. I'm a big fan of the yellows and salmons, as well as anything with x buckleyi-type phylloclades. And even though I'm not much into reds, I am in love with Samba Brazil.

[Cathi 5,755]

Even a small windowsill can do a lot if it gets good sun... the first window is southern exposure, the second is eastern - but morning sun is enough to keep many things happy:

(Those are my vandas in the baskets hanging from the shower rod - they have to come inside when it gets under 50 degrees.)

Julianna - I will look up those cats... and will post pics of my new cat activity tomorrow...

i dont have windowsills and when I put them on a table the dog kept jumping up trying to see the action outside and knocked them over, like 10 times...

[Nasturtium 500]

i dont have windowsills and when I put them on a table the dog kept jumping up trying to see the action outside and knocked them over, like 10 times...

When i was in that situation I ended up having to either hang the plants or I mounted glass shelves across the windows. But that's because I was determined. Other people are fine without and prefer to not bother.

[PalestineMyHeart 1,897]

i dont have windowsills and when I put them on a table the dog kept jumping up trying to see the action outside and knocked them over, like 10 times...

Oops.... bad dog !

[PalestineMyHeart 1,897]

Phal showing vigorous root development - if you look closely you can also see a bloom stalk:

New cat action:

Den getting busy:

Phal's old bloom stalk produced a keiki:

From what I have gathered from orchid sites, it's best to let the keiki stay attached to its mother until it develops a good set of roots and completes a bloom cycle. (They advised not to separate a basal keiki, but just keep it attached to the mom, as a double plant.)

[Nasturtium 500]

Your keiki is awesome! And the rest of the orchid action is really cool! I checked mine yesterday and notcied about half my phals have bloom spikes. I think I am going to try to hurry up and do some fertilizing. Maybe i can get some more to bloom. My spikes are about the size of yours or shorter, so it's still pretty early in the season.

[PalestineMyHeart 1,897]

Wow yours are ahead of mine... I only have the one bloom spike so far. But it only just started to get cool down here...

[Nasturtium 500]

Mine live in this long alcove that is on the south side of the building. So they heat up pretty hot during the day (or as hot as they can be with the mediating A/C) and then cool off at night. So I think they get that 15-20* rise and fall every day in conjunciton with the photo period decreases. I imagine that's that triggers them to be a bit ahead. The alcove is about 8-9ft long so it sits pretty much out from the rest of the room or the climate controlled air blowing. Does that even make sense? LOL brain is fried. i'm trying to write this proposal and get it done today.