Glad I visited today!

12 years ago

Wow, I learned a lot today, and just in time

Today I bought the big bag of Reptile bark. I looked at each size (mainly comparing price/unit) but not the bark itself. Back to the store it goes!

I can't keep up with watering my houseplants in the 1-1-1 mix. I'm outdoors in the garden every minute, and simply can't remember to check indoor plants daily. They are suffering.

Seems to me I could transplant into 5-1-1 mix or cover with light mulch. It is still to chilly to put the indoor plants outside (in the 40's at night)

What ideas do you have for houseplant care when the gardener's attention has turned to her 1/2 acre garden?

Frankly, I'm inclined to just let the really sensitive begonias live or die. The orchids are a tough bunch and seem to get by.

I didn't remember about the 5-1-1 mix at all. Do I understand correctly this is the mix for young plants I'm growing on, eventually to transplant into the garden?

I can water these with weak miracle grow as needed?

BTW, I'd be starting my third batch of gritty mix if I hadn't read about the bark....

I'll get going in a couple of days.

It is great catching up with people and knowing that new people are visiting and taking Al's advice.

Marie

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Comments (6)

tapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)
12 years ago
Marie - why not retain the benefits of a highly aerated soil AND increase water retention and the interval between waterings by increasing the volume of screened Turface & decreasing the volume of granite in the gritty mix?

Al
meyermike_1micha
12 years ago
Hi Marie

That is the thing about living up here in good ole New England.
If you add more water retention to your pots, then you will have to worry about your plants come the fall into the winter . Then it's back to square one again with root rot depending how much light and warmth you provide.

When do you suppose we will be in the 70's more than one day in a row, more than 2 days this month? Sheesh.lol

How about setting the alarm clock to go off before the birds start chirping, usually about 430 am, and then give your indoor plants some alone time before the sun comes up?
:-)

Good to see you back again as always!

Mike:-)
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Marie Tulin
Original Author
12 years ago
Dear Ones,
Getting up before or with the birdies is not an option. There, I said it as nicely as I could.

I'll add more turface. I didn't realize that was an option.

Mike, my wee citrus from Bonsai West had 4 beautiful buds about to burst open. Suddenly it lost several leaves and three buds. What might have happened? I felt like crying.

Marie
mrlike2u
12 years ago
Late entry to what might of happened :
A sudden change of environment from an inside semi tropical near tropical bonsai shop to your home.
Marie Tulin
Original Author
12 years ago
I don't think so. I bought the citrus 4 months ago, and it did ok all winter. Put out the buds, then they dropped. All that happened was light increased with springtime. Or could be that as I began my outdoor gardening I really did let the watering or /and fertilizing slip.
mt
meyermike_1micha
12 years ago
Hi Mrlike2u!

Marie: Did you ever at one point let your plant get too dry?
Even a slight wilt on a citrus can cause buds to abort, roots to die back, and leaf loss. Weird thing is it can take weeks for the tree to catch up and start looking great again.

Have a great day and enjoy our one day stand with the sun.

Mike