Recommendations for indoor growing

Love to garden? Me too! Garden talk and photos goes here: Flower gardens, vegetable gardens, organic gardening, natural pest control, houseplants, more.
Post Reply
Fae
Posts: 72
Joined: Tue Feb 23, 2016 6:23 pm
Gender: Female
Location: USA

Recommendations for indoor growing

Post by Fae »

So I've recently gotten back into trying to garden... trying being the key word here. I like in New England, so we got cold dry winters, wet springs, moist summer, and crisp falls. While the weather is beautiful, it's not conductive to helping my two black thumbs keep any sort of living plant actually living.

I got a basil plant over the summer, which flourished. Then winter came around. My house gets so hot and dry, that by the time I get out of work and come home it's started to wilt. I've always managed to bring it back, but I'm curious about other people's experiences with basil.

I also got one of those cat grass oat kits. The seedlings have just started to sprout, but I'm not very optimistic since quite a few of the actual seeds have somehow popped out of the soil, but well see.

I'm mainly interested in growing herbs/flowers that can be used in magic. I generally practice spells related to protection, healing, and love. I'd love a few more plants to try and grow indoors to keep my basil plant company, and aid with my spells, and maybe even my cooking. Anyone have good recommendations, or stories they'd like to share? It's been a while since this forum got some love, and since planting season is around the corner I figured this would be a good place to start.
User avatar
blue_moon
Posts: 483
Joined: Wed Oct 28, 2015 1:41 pm
Gender: Female
Location: Germany

Re: Recommendations for indoor growing

Post by blue_moon »

I'm already preparing to start my indoor garden. I only have a balcony (south west - lots of wind lots of sun. Really really hot) - but i love plants and just can't stop starting over with even more pots and seeds.

(I.e. I have a sweet potatoe plant inside now read to be planted out in the hot season - can't let those little pantry plants go to waste)

I have no luck with basil at all! Think I'll start my own from seed.

Spring is a good time for rooting cuttings!
Lavender, rosemary and sage are easy (and magick essentials) Just cut like 10cm piece (sorry you'll have to convert) and put it in a glass of water. Thyme should work as well.

I've decided to start some trees from seed this spring and indian basil (tulsi). Hopefully I'll get my sunny kitchen window ready soon and manage to buy some good planting soil.

Not long till eostara. I have a planting ritual planed. I collected seeds from local plants trees and flowers people keep in their gardens. Plan to leave them in the woods in spots where they actually have a chance to grow.

I sadly noticed there isn't much of a diversity. Hardly any bushes. (Our forests were replanted)
BB

Blue Moon
User avatar
smogie_michele
Posts: 792
Joined: Thu Apr 24, 2014 11:32 am
Gender: Female
Location: USA
Contact:

Re: Recommendations for indoor growing

Post by smogie_michele »

I kill every Basil I've touched...
However, I have had a ton of success in growing mint, sage and aloe indoors. In fact, I don't think I have remembered to water my mint very often, maybe only once every few weeks, yet that sucker keeps on growing...
A yawn is a silent scream for coffee.
Fae
Posts: 72
Joined: Tue Feb 23, 2016 6:23 pm
Gender: Female
Location: USA

Re: Recommendations for indoor growing

Post by Fae »

It's strange because I've never had luck keeping plants alive, and have been told that basil can be extremely difficult. I did buy it already partially grown, and maybe I just picked the plant with a stubborn streak and a serious will to live.

I've been thinking about trying both aloe and lavender, although I hear lavender can be difficult to grow in my climate. Blue_moon I wish you luck with your garden and planting ritual! And thanks for the tips, I might have to try them out.

Smogie_michele did your grow yours from seeds or purchase them full or partially grown? I'm very interested in trying to grow an aloe plant.

Anyone ever had luck growing jasmine, either indoors or out? They're one of my favorite flowering plants, and I've read that they can do relatively well indoors.
User avatar
blue_moon
Posts: 483
Joined: Wed Oct 28, 2015 1:41 pm
Gender: Female
Location: Germany

Re: Recommendations for indoor growing

Post by blue_moon »

Lavender is said to need lots of warm sun and it needs it a but cooler in winter. The lavender my mother grows survives our occasional ice cold winters. Your only slightly north from us. You should give it a try ;)

Jasmine - love it - never bought one for the same reason. It seems to be such a delicate plant.

What I did when I greened my thumb - I researched every single plant I had and wrote everything down. Where it comes from, how much sun it needs, how much water, if it needs cooler temperature in winter or not - I filled a notebook! That year all of my plants grew bigger and better and I am blessed with flowers all year long from the strangest plants.

There is nothing like a black thumb - you just have to know your plant. We'd never scrub our cat in the bathtub or feed our aquarium fish bread, we know they don't like it.
But a plant needs more than water and light, it needs the right amount at the right time of year.
BB

Blue Moon
Fae
Posts: 72
Joined: Tue Feb 23, 2016 6:23 pm
Gender: Female
Location: USA

Re: Recommendations for indoor growing

Post by Fae »

That's fabulous advice! And quite a funny analogy, although I have given my cat a bath in the tub before... totally different story, and as I'm sure you can guess she was nut thrilled with me!

I've been doing some research about gardening anyways, and I just started a new book of shadows, so up can add everything I find out in there and make a sort of garden witch section. I really like the idea of growing from seeds, as you can plant them with magical intent they appeals on a personal level.

Now I just need to get researching and find some consumers and good potting soil
crescent
Posts: 47
Joined: Fri Apr 10, 2015 11:28 pm
Gender: Female

Re: Recommendations for indoor growing

Post by crescent »

While I have grown herbs (and cat grass) indoors, my indoor space is mainly filled with African Violets. Putting up fluorescent lights made the biggest improvement. Even in a southern window, the lighting was neither consistent nor bright enough during the winter in my climate. I use 2 foot long fluorescent 'light sticks' that can be found for about $10. They use smaller T8 bulbs, and fit my glass shelves. Wick watering is a popular system for African Violets, which crave humidity but can't stand wet feet. A synthetic wick is inserted into the pot through the drainage holes, and the pot and wick are placed over a water reservoir. Capillary action works to keep the soil evenly moist. Felt matting underneath works, too. Perhaps it could work well with herbs.
User avatar
Pallando
Posts: 121
Joined: Thu Dec 01, 2016 11:55 pm
Gender: Male
Location: San Antonio TX

Re: Recommendations for indoor growing

Post by Pallando »

blue_moon wrote:...

What I did when I greened my thumb - I researched every single plant I had and wrote everything down. Where it comes from, how much sun it needs, how much water, if it needs cooler temperature in winter or not - I filled a notebook! That year all of my plants grew bigger and better and I am blessed with flowers all year long from the strangest plants.
...
BINGO----/\----This right here.

Also... as a general rule, if your plant is wilting it is either getting not enough or too much water.
So..... as a general rule, the solution for this is not necessarily more or less water, but MORE SOIL.
The plant knows how much to drink, and has the roots to do it..... IF it has the roots to do it.

Seriously..... Just try a bigger pot, probably double the size you have.

All the cute pics of plants in little crafty pots, are not realistic for long term health, unless you are prepared to treat it like a pet. By that I mean checking its water and food twice EVERY DAY. In lieu of pet-plants... just give them a bigger pot, water well once a week or so, put it in the appropriate light level, and watch your thumbs turn green. :)
User avatar
corvidus
Posts: 981
Joined: Mon May 18, 2015 7:57 pm
Gender: Male
Location: Bridger Mountains

Re: Recommendations for indoor growing

Post by corvidus »

Basil needs quite a bit of fresh air! It purifies and cleans, so if you don't give it enough fresh air it will suffocate.

Also, about a 1/2 cup of water every morning, or every other morning, will help keep it alive. Not a lot, just enough to keep the soil moist, but not enough for mold to grow on the roots!!
Post Reply

Return to “Gardening”