Your houseplants and gardens - Yellow leaf means underwatered AND overwatered?! What a country!

[Aunt Carol]

(Yes I know, no such plants exist that aren't invasive and/or ugly. Maybe I'll just have a rock garden there.)

Life-sized rhinoceros statue?

 

[Emo Supremo]

the deer are now eating my mom's hibiscus and a potted bandana lantana i moved into the garden why why why why why why why why. i also did more research on butterfly bush care and i might've fucked up worse than i thought:

Never amend the soil. Don’t add top soil, potting soil, compost or anything at planting time. Plant directly into your natural soil. This is true for all shrubs, but is even more important with butterfly bush, as amending any soil, and particularly clay soil, can cause drainage problems.

guess who's the retard that amended the shady, compacted, gravel-clogged clay beds with compost earlier this spring because she read about amending and assumed you can do it with every plant. i want to transplant these poor bastards so badly already.

in other news however, not everything is a shit. i put more dirt in the foamflower window boxes so they have better access to sun and they're loving that. meanwhile my blue mistflowers are almost doing too well. their pots are wide but shallow (these are the exact ones they're in) so i'm concerned about root binding; maybe i should divide them up, give the extras away, and/or replant them out in the wild?

edit: oh and i got loads of partridge pea seeds in, which i'm very excited to sow when i get the chance. they help low quality soil, look exotic but aren't, and have adorable yellow flowers that bumblebees fall all over themselves for.

of course they're eaten by like. every single herbivore in the local ecosystem, but that's been the trend for this year anyways, so i guess it's officially time for me to try out liquid fence.

 

[Major]

Tried to grow beans this year but they never grew up the poles and sit about 8 inches high. Yes they are climbing beans.

I think they aren't suited to my heavy clay soil and I didn't add enough compost to the soil prior to planting because they did well in the compost I started them out in inside.

My garden only really has one strip about 18 inches wide, north facing. Currently just have a climbing rose and honeysuckle growing up the fence and some other stuff down below, but currently very little summer colour.

I need ideas for low-growing summer flowering plants that tolerate a north facing position.

Can anyone name any of the flowering plants in this picture?

View attachment 6202001

I went the other day and have serious garden envy.

The tallish ones with pink flowers look like greater willowherb (a weed), someone pointed out teasle and hydrangea. A tall leucanthemum behind that. The ones next to the door on the left with orange flowers is crocosmia, there is a honeysuckle there also. Geraniums on the bottom right (geranium endresii maybe) , obviously a rose. I'm not sure what the one with pink flowers is.

 

[suspended animation]

guess who's the retard that amended the shady, compacted, gravel-clogged clay beds with compost earlier this spring because she read about amending and assumed you can do it with every plant.

Don't beat yourself up about gardening mistakes; I swear every gardening article I read contradicts other gardening articles in some way. I try to stick to articles written by local gardeners who are working under the same conditions, but I know that's not always feasible.

I usually see it advised to amend the soil (even with some native plants), and have never heard not to amend for shrubs. Definitely going to look that up.

i'm concerned about root binding; maybe i should divide them up, give the extras away, and/or replant them out in the wild?

My pot of overcrowded mistflowers is looking pretty rough right now. I let them stay overcrowded for like 3 months and a few stems have died off, so definitely divide yours or plant in the ground. Mine were overcrowded to the extent that not even half an inch of soil was bare, for reference.

I need ideas for low-growing summer flowering plants that tolerate a north facing position.

Sometimes I'll browse websites of local nurseries for inspiration. Depending on your region, 'Blue Daze' Evolvulus is a really pretty and tidy little plant that does well in bright shade to sun. I don't think it benefits pollinators, though, if that matters. Most nurseries in my region have it.

 

[Emo Supremo]

Don't beat yourself up about gardening mistakes; I swear every gardening article I read contradicts other gardening articles in some way. I try to stick to articles written by local gardeners who are working under the same conditions, but I know that's not always feasible.

I usually see it advised to amend the soil (even with some native plants), and have never heard not to amend for shrubs. Definitely going to look that up.

thank you for the reassurance, it's just hard not to feel bad when i fumble because they're living things and it's my responsibility to look after them.

and also i don't want to waste money of course..

speaking of which, has anyone here used those critter ridder capsules, and if they have, did they work? i bought liquid fence yesterday and a random employee tried to convince me they're the better investment before implying i'm an idiot for sticking to my original purchase, because i mentioned how dozens of gardeners swore by liquid fence whereas critter ridder had awful reviews with almost all their products. i also didn't realize this until i already left the store, but i feel like having a plastic ball full of dried blood would be a fantastic way to attract bears, coyotes, raccoons, and foxes when it's already a whole fucking ordeal keeping them away and out of our garbage. apparently being fine with reapplying spray after a rain instead of trusting some random old woman telling me about two random people is ridiculous, many such cases okay boomer etc..

 

[Coffee Druid]

Besides potted herbs, this year I made two garden beds and planted a bunch of tomatoes, basil and peppers. I also planted some canteloupe seeds from a store-bought melon and they actually grew. The basil is taking off really well. My current bounty with the others is only some peppers (jalapeno, "dragon roll", and this pretty little purple chili). But, I have a green tomato here and there on my plants. I also found a baby canteloupe that's softball sized already. I'm hoping those ripen all the way.

I also adopted an orchid from a coworker a month or so ago. She was fretting that it was dying since the flower fell off and one leaf was yellow. I said I'd take it and see what I can do. I trimmed the yellow leaf off and repotted it in orchid medium with some fertilizer sticks. Nothing fancy. Almost a week ago, I noticed a new leaf. It's only coming up 1-2 mm a day, but I can't wait until it's fully out. It's not dead so I must be doing alright. I know they flower once or twice a year, so I hope I can see it bloom eventually.

 

[MerriedxReldnahc]

Blackberries grow very easily in my area, so easily that mine have long since burst forth from their pots, dropped seeds that sprouted out of random places, and erupted into ten-foot berry behemoths.



Those planters sort of visible in the foreground of the first pic got pretty overgrown, but I spent a few hours last week clearing them out along with some smaller planters. I'm starting a few varieties of peas to plant in on one half, and the other half will get tomatoes.
The smaller planters have been prepped for sunflowers, which are my mom's favorite flower.

We also let the greenhouse get overgrown and so the catnip got very...
...abundant.


The cats are happy about it though!

 

[one_time_user]

I have accepted that I am going to have to destroy about 50 percent of my wildflower field. I have purchased the 'kill everything' and will do it when it begins to cool so I have time to do it several times if need be before snow. I am heartbroken, I can't believe I fucked it up so badly.

Also, something destroyed my squash and cucumber plantlings in raised planters. I am just as good of an outdoor gardener as I am inside I guess.

 

[Emo Supremo]

My pot of overcrowded mistflowers is looking pretty rough right now. I let them stay overcrowded for like 3 months and a few stems have died off, so definitely divide yours or plant in the ground. Mine were overcrowded to the extent that not even half an inch of soil was bare, for reference..

remember when i rated your post horrifying for this paragraph well i decided to move my mistflowers into the ground today because i had some butterfly weeds that were rootbound to shit and
uh shwoopsie

 

[Lemon Squeezer]

I was gifted a weed lmao seed and decided to grow it for fun (legal here). What a characterial plant! Its refusing to thrive like my other ones. Ill stick to my aromatics and chilis.

 

[Emo Supremo]

I was gifted a weed lmao seed and decided to grow it for fun (legal here). What a characterial plant! Its refusing to thrive like my other ones. Ill stick to my aromatics and chilis.

from what i've heard, marijuana plants are pretty damn fussy and aren't usually grown outside of farming purposes unless you just really like the novelty of "lol weed". i wonder how many stoners sunk hundreds into trying to raise their own homegrown stash only for it to eat shit because most tropical and subtropical plants are miserable little bastards.

 

[bliblblblbbllb]

from what i've heard, marijuana plants are pretty damn fussy and aren't usually grown outside of farming purposes unless you just really like the novelty of "lol weed". i wonder how many stoners sunk hundreds into trying to raise their own homegrown stash only for it to eat shit because most tropical and subtropical plants are miserable little bastards.

I have, several times, spoke about my grow light setup and had people suddenly offer information. "Hey, I didn't know you were into houseplants!"
They weren't into growing houseplants.
I have also had people tell me that they would never buy grow lights, because then people will think they are growing the marihuanana. Usually it's an assumption that a "grow light" is the big industrial hanging kind.
People who want to grow weed in their closets usually put a lot of money into it. I can't see it being worth it in nearly any aspect, weed being legal there or not, outside of the self-sustainability aspect.
See: Spacebuckets.

Here is my build! The light lid is comprised of a 200w LED COB light and a 120mm computer fan; the bottom of the lid is completely covered in aluminum tape, creating a reflector for the light. Inside of the bucket is painted entirely flat white, outside is flat black. For ventilation I installed 80mm intake fans on the walls of the bucket. The fans are connected to a 4-way speed controller allowing for complete control of air flow as well as adjusting humidity levels. I attached the power strip and fan speed controller to the bucket using adhesive Velcro. This makes deconstructing the bucket simple if parts need to be replaced. I have fan screen covers on the intake fans. I'm planning on buying a 120mm cover and also creating light traps to keep outside ambient light from getting inside. Trying to maintain as much of a controlled environment as possible. Thanks for looking!

Apparently some people make bonsai out of cannabis.... I'm impressed.

 

[mounki]

I have some space above my cabinets in the kitchen that I thought would be nice for plants. my reasoning for this is that I'm incredibly short and I would not want to put pots and pans up there where I can't reach, but the kitchen does not have natural lighting so I'm not sure if plants would thrive. I thought it would be a clever use of a bunch of empty space in the kitchen, like small herbs or something. I would like to grow herbs and plants but many are not cat safe, which is why I have also considered this high up spot? I thought maybe I could find a grow light or just hope that the kitchen light would be enough, but I'm not sure.

on the topic of cat safe plants, any (not cat grass and catnip) suggestions that are low maintenance and low light ?

really good thread, thanks for any help

 

[A Fucking Houseplant]

Great stuff, kiwis. This thread is making me proud.

 

[one_time_user]

I have some space above my cabinets in the kitchen that I thought would be nice for plants. my reasoning for this is that I'm incredibly short and I would not want to put pots and pans up there where I can't reach, but the kitchen does not have natural lighting so I'm not sure if plants would thrive. I thought it would be a clever use of a bunch of empty space in the kitchen, like small herbs or something. I would like to grow herbs and plants but many are not cat safe, which is why I have also considered this high up spot? I thought maybe I could find a grow light or just hope that the kitchen light would be enough, but I'm not sure.

on the topic of cat safe plants, any (not cat grass and catnip) suggestions that are low maintenance and low light ?

really good thread, thanks for any help

These are not the exact ones, but I used something like this for herbs on my kitchen. Super easy installation and if you do a couple they grow plants great https://www.amazon.com/Barrina-Ligh...ight/dp/B099PLYWCM?ref_=ast_sto_dp&th=1&psc=1

 

[suspended animation]

I would like to grow herbs and plants but many are not cat safe, which is why I have also considered this high up spot? I thought maybe I could find a grow light or just hope that the kitchen light would be enough, but I'm not sure.

Most herbs need bright light if not full sun, so unless you've got a strong grow light you probably can't grow them in the kind of setting you're describing.

Spider plants are cat safe and tolerate low light. They look really lovely with their babies trailing down.


Many ferns are cat safe, too. Boston ferns are easy and there's a really pretty variegated kind called "Tiger fern", but it's harder to find in stores. I highly recommend it, though! Fast growing and easy care.

 

[Swagstika]

I have some good news to share with my plant nerds
Yesterday I met up with the contractor for the new house about some things, and as we walked around the garden I discovered something cool. I had noticed this gnarled-looking tree when I bought the place, but never thought too much about it because the garden can be redone anyways and is not as important as the house.
(Not like I have the most majestic oak tree ever in the garden that would need special attention like the neighbour does, so who cares . So much envy, ugh.)
Anyways.
It's a mulberry tree!
It had ripe fruits on it, so the contractor and I took a little business break to stuff ourselves with those sweet-sour berries like we were children
If it was planted when the house was built, it is 66 years old. It looks way older though, totally ancient, gnarled and hunched over. A bit of searching tells me that the location is in the northern most range of where it can grow, so thats pretty cool.
I mostly just wanted to share, but if anyone have any advice on hand, I'm all ears.

 

[Emo Supremo]

I have some good news to share with my plant nerds
Yesterday I met up with the contractor for the new house about some things, and as we walked around the garden I discovered something cool. I had noticed this gnarled-looking tree when I bought the place, but never thought too much about it because the garden can be redone anyways and is not as important as the house.
(Not like I have the most majestic oak tree ever in the garden that would need special attention like the neighbour does, so who cares . So much envy, ugh.)
Anyways.
It's a mulberry tree!
It had ripe fruits on it, so the contractor and I took a little business break to stuff ourselves with those sweet-sour berries like we were children
If it was planted when the house was built, it is 66 years old. It looks way older though, totally ancient, gnarled and hunched over. A bit of searching tells me that the location is in the northern most range of where it can grow, so thats pretty cool.
I mostly just wanted to share, but if anyone have any advice on hand, I'm all ears.

my advice is: you better airdrop some of those mulberries my way, you lucky son of a bitch.

 

[anliteralidiot]

I need opinions, advice, whatever I'm mad.

I bought a Dean McDowell philodendron, with big, beautiful leaves for my house, and, after two new leaves, I moved it into a long pot (it was escaping its round pot). I also put it outside for a week, because my husband and I went on vacation and I was paranoid about my cats pooping in it.

I noticed some yellowing when we came home, and assumed it got too much water because it's been raining. So I take it in, and a few days later I find cat shit in it. Fresh. I freaked out, took it out, sprayed it with the hose, repotted, took my anger out on some laundry, and now I'm just waiting. All the leaves look like shit (there's crispy tips and yellowing on all of them), and the newest leaf that was unfurling is broken right at the leaf.

Do I just wait and see, or do I try cutting it at the nodes and restart?

 

[NoReturn]

Do I just wait and see, or do I try cutting it at the nodes and restart?

Por que no los dos?
Chop and prop some of it, leave some in soil. Use it as an experiment.