Any Senior "Green Thumbs" Here? Healthy Indoor Plants or Outside Gardens?

Raised gardens seem like they'd be a lot easier to care for than planting straight into the ground, much easier on your back and knees I'd imagine.

 

SeaBreeze said:
I don't have much of a green thumb, but I love to have a few plants in the house and try to keep them alive, instead of killing them with kindness like I usually do. :eek: The air is dry where I live and my house doesn't get a lot of sunlight through the windows, so it's always been a challenge. Years back I'd have an outdoor veggie garden going, some strawberries, tomatoes, peppers, squash, chives, eggplants, etc. But over the years I gave up on the garden, lots of weeds and bugs to deal with, and I don't use any chemicals or pesticides on my lawn or garden. Also, we'd go away sometimes on camping trips, and the garden would go unattended, never wanted to trouble a neighbor for that, especially with such a tiny garden. I love flowers too, used to plant seeds or seedlings, some survived, some didn't do so well. These days I stick with a pot of silk flowers in front of the house, they last longer. :D Anyone here have a green thumb, nice house plants or outdoor flower or vegetable garden?
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I consider myself pretty good at keeping house plants going in my apartment. I even propagate plants. The secret is having humidity. Just watering doesn't do the trick. If you have a room with enough light, the simple solution is to use a portable humidifier which will keep the humidity up and will actually make the room more comfortable especially in a dry climate or in winter. I have a corner in my room which I call my "oasis". I have a fish tank and because the water evaporates any plants near it will do extremely well. It's nice to have an oasis where you can just sit and watch fish swim. Goldfish are extremely easy to keep. I'm sending a picture of my 'oasis. The plant is a dieffenbachia . Does not flower but makes beautiful leaves and is easily propagated with cuttings.
 

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NancyNGA said:
In my experience, the plant decides whether it wants to survive or not, and what you do has little to do with it.:joke: This is a row of thrift above a stone retainer wall beside my driveway. I just took a bag of clippings from another site, dug a little trench, stuffed the clippings down in it and kept a soaker hose on them constantly for about a week. I really never expected them to take root. This picture is 2 years later. View attachment 25388 It was early spring, before the grass greened up, so please ignore scrubby weedy lawn and driveway.:p
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Very nice. These are perennials of course and the secret to perennials is whether they are suitable for the zone you live in which is easy to look up. If there are plants you see in your area which you like and which are doing well it's wise to find out what the plant is and then plant it yourself. Don't trust some of the gardening shops, they bring everything in for sale and while they may look nice may not be suitable. Kentucky blue grass does not do well in Florida. Roses don't do well in Northwestern Ontario or Northern Minnesota without special care, like digging them up in the fall.
 

I love this idea from " MossWoman's Secret Garden":

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Indoor plants. Of course. Mine are superb. The secret? Humidity.

I have mine close to my aquarium which is bubbling all the time and exuding humidity.

Even if you don't have fish. It's one way of increasing the humidity close to your plants.

Just get a big jar and an aquarium pump. It's really amazing and also relaxing to watch. It's like an oasis in the house.
 
Camper6 said:
Send us some pictures. I'm extremely interest in plants. Should be in season now for outdoor plants in B.C.
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My balcony garden is late this year, due to the world's slowest painter taking a month to paint the balcony railings on our complex. He painted one side of my railing, then it took him a week to do the other. Drove this organised little Virgo batty. Lol. Normally, my garden is in by the 24th, I am still planting. Grrrr.
 
I love Boston ferns but have no success in growing them indoors. I have a really nice one outside my front door with an earthbox full of caladiums that are in full bloom. On the patio, I have some more ferns, mother in law plants and spider plants. When the ferns get too big, I give them away on freecycle. My problem is starting new plants is if a piece falls off I put it in dirt and then have another one which I don't need. Like to have some tomato plants in 5 gallon buckets. This year I did a brandywine tomato and it is the best I have ever had. Makes great sandwiches!!
 
terry123 said:
I love Boston ferns but have no success in growing them indoors. I have a really nice one outside my front door with an earthbox full of caladiums that are in full bloom. On the patio, I have some more ferns, mother in law plants and spider plants. When the ferns get too big, I give them away on freecycle. My problem is starting new plants is if a piece falls off I put it in dirt and then have another one which I don't need. Like to have some tomato plants in 5 gallon buckets. This year I did a brandywine tomato and it is the best I have ever had. Makes great sandwiches!!
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Send us some pictures if you can.
 

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