Growing African violets under lights allows you to control the amount of light the plants receive by changing the type of light, the distance between the plant and the light, and even the duration of light used. But how much is the best amount of light for growing and flowering African violets?
I decided to dive into the research to see what the experts say.
It seems like every summer now, a familiar haze blankets large parts of North America. We check the Air Quality Health Index (AQHI) or PM2.5 levels before stepping outside, grab an N95 mask to walk the dog, and worry about what this toxic soup is doing to our lungs.
But as you stand in your backyard looking through that eerie orange or gray sky, you have to wonder: what about the garden? Your tomatoes, hostas, and apple trees are stuck outside breathing this stuff 24 hours a day.
Does wildfire smoke harm plants?
The internet is full of conflicting advice. Some bloggers claim smoke is great for gardens because it blocks harsh sunlight and provides carbon dioxide. Others warn that your vegetables are absorbing deadly toxins and should be thrown into the landfill.
The reality is that the smoke has both positive and negative effects. Let’s dig into the data and look at what wildfire smoke really does to plant physiology.
Watch the Video version of this blog post: https://youtu.be/vlneaGoBvIs
Here is a quote that was posted in our Facebook Group: “If you give a tomato plant too much nitrogen, it grows lots of green stuff, but not many tomatoes. Apparently, for maximum production, you have to intentionally starve it of nitrogen a little bit to force it into fruit mode. What is the “right” amount of nitrogen and when?”
I have seen this claim before. Too much nitrogen produces too many leaves and little fruit. But is the claim correct? Should gardeners reduce nitrogen levels as the plant starts producing fruit?
Watch the video version of this post: https://youtu.be/IyKjz77edm4
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I see a lot of online comments from people who feel their tap water isn’t suitable for plants. People are moving towards distilled, RO water, or rainwater instead. Is this necessary? Is your tap water a problem?
The following are some concerns people have.
Tap water is rarely a problem for outdoor gardens growing in real soil, but it can be a problem for houseplants and plants growing in soilless mixes, and that is the focus of this post.
Humidity is a form of water, and water is critical for plant growth. We can all sense high and low humidity, but what effect do these extremes have on plants? How does a gardener control humidity to help plants grow well?
Let’s clarify the misunderstandings and myths about providing humidity for plants.
I have been growing orchids for over 40 years, and at one point, I grew over 1,000 orchids. Whenever I was asked about the best orchid pot, I responded with the same answer. Any green plastic pot will work just fine. If it had a raised bottom with drainage holes at the bottom rim (azalea pot), to allow better water drainage, that would be better, but any pot will work.
That answer is still correct. We know that because most hobbyists use that kind of pot.
However, there is some new research that suggests a clear pot may be better. Let’s have a look at what the new science says.
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Is your tap water suitable for plants? Unless you know something about both hardness and alkalinity, you can’t tell if your tap water should be used.
Is RO water, distilled water, or rainwater suitable for plants? You probably think it is, but they also have problems that relate to hardness and alkalinity.
Let’s have a closer look at water and these two properties.
How much light should tomato seedlings get? If you give them too little, they will become tall, skinny, unhealthy plants, a condition called leggy. If you give them too much, the leaves will be damaged. How much is the best amount?
The new science of growing tomato seedlings will surprise you.
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It used to be very common to add drainage material, such as rocks, Leca, or clay pot shards in the bottom of pots for added drainage. Then it was claimed that this is a myth and it does not work. But then some new science this year upsets everything by showing drainage material may actually work.
Should a gardener use drainage material? What kind of material works best?
Logic would have you believe that adding gravel or pot shards in the bottom of a pot or container will increase drainage and this has been a common practice for a long time. More recently some gardening experts and scientists have declared this to be a myth, claiming that gravel does not increase drainage when placed in the bottom of a pot. That is the current thinking.
New science has now been published that debunks the claimed myth and concludes that drainage material in the bottom of a pot or container does increase drainage.
In the good old days, it was easier for gardeners to talk about the artificial light plants required because most gardeners used fluorescent bulbs and most manufacturers produced about the same quality of bulbs. We could easily say that, for example, African violets should be grown 6 inches below a two-bulb fixture, and that would … Read More
Biochar is a special kind of charcoal that seems to have many benefits as a soil amendment. It holds water, acts like a fertilizer and grows bigger plants. While doing all this it is also eco-friendly and sequesters carbon in the soil for many thousands of years. Sounds like a win-win-win.
What is biochar? Are the claimed benefits real? Should gardeners be using this product to amend their soil? Let’s check it out.
