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Oct 15, 2016 9:51 PM CST
Thread OP
Name: Pamela Gregory
Md (Zone 6b)
Gardening A Perfect antidepressant
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Please read added questions at bottom of post.


I feel good about what i have set up right now for the plants
Click on the pic of the fireplace and you can see what i hooked up for the Cassandra, pinta and a few other plants for the winter months.
The bulbs are simply daylight bulbs 85 watts 5000 kelvins. and i have bulb simply for growing house plants just to be sure those few house plants get enough light in the basement, I was certain they would need a little more and I can move the lighting instead of moving the plants too so thats a big help. The two bulbs at the fire place seems like enough for everything but i put my rooting stems of coleus and a table with few cockscomb babies i am messing around with just because they were so cute. They were too cute to trash so i moved 3 to Styrofoam cups. Just for fun. Those coleus thats rooting and the cockcomb are the few things on a table with a plant bulb. I cant remember the watts ect but it read for house plants i use it bout 8 to 10 hours for those per plants per day ita been about a week now and everthing seems happy the coleus look very good but my persian shields that just rooted in pots not so much. I dont believe it has anything to do with lighting though. Iv been having issue while not having the light issues with persian shields.
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Do these lights seem enough for Pinta and Cassandra and the large persian shield? Im still taking them outside everyday now to make sure there getting enough light. id like some opinions .. Can I stop taking them out side now????
How long should i leave the light on those as you see pic of fire place with plants.i was guessing 8 to 10 hours a day also. Making sure to move plants through out the time to prevent any burning at all. How does this idea sound? I plan to build more like an indoor green house through out the winter as I learn more.
Another question. . After changing soil to get my plants to dry out better they are still remaining to wet too long and causing mold. Iv hooked up a fan now. Any other ideas?. I have already drilled extra holes in my pots weeks ago. I am not over watering .. im pretty sure im not.. there always the chance im wrong but i strongly feel they are not over watered. Its one of few things im sure about atm. .
Last edited by PamelaLynn77 Oct 16, 2016 1:05 AM Icon for preview
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Oct 16, 2016 10:12 AM CST
Name: Philip Becker
Fresno California (Zone 8a)
Basement...A cool and damp place.
Fan. Good. With the coolness and dampness.you'll have to water very very seldom. And less water.
I'd leave lites on longer. Also keep lites close as possible.
Thats my best ideal !!!
Short of some heat !!!
Wow !!! 😄 Short of some heat # !!!
Try a de-humidifier !!! 😎😎😎
Wow !!! I love it when i have a great ideal ! At least it sounds like a great ideal. 😎😎😎 Solve the mold problem.along with less water.
Welcome! I tip my hat to you. 😎😎😎
Anything i say, could be misrepresented, or wrong.
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Oct 16, 2016 10:21 AM CST
central Illinois
Charter ATP Member I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Hosted a Not-A-Raffle-Raffle Million Pollinator Garden Challenge Plant Identifier Garden Ideas: Level 2
Celebrating Gardening: 2015 Avid Green Pages Reviewer Photo Contest Winner: 2014 Photo Contest Winner: 2017
Maybe add some sand to your potting mix, and some rocks in the bottom of the pot to assure excellent drainage. Also, like Philip said, keep light close, a/o supplement light with more light.
Nothing that's been done can ever be changed.
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Oct 17, 2016 5:30 PM CST
Thread OP
Name: Pamela Gregory
Md (Zone 6b)
Gardening A Perfect antidepressant
Thanks to the both of you!! I have potting already mixed with sand so i can use this advice TY. Some of my pots have rocks at the bottom, I should have done all of them. Ill be working on this the next few days, I have cut back on watering alot some of the pots have finally dried, now I worry if They are too dry..
my dragon tree seems very happy and I have completely dried out his soil and give him a cup half t o 2 cups water 2 times a day. Idk yet if he is very happy with this routine I just got it started 3 days ago. Seems ok so far I just worry because his soil looks so dry and I'm not use to it. I do know he likes being dry at some
Last edited by PamelaLynn77 Oct 17, 2016 6:37 PM Icon for preview
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Oct 18, 2016 5:38 AM CST
Name: Sue
Ontario, Canada (Zone 4b)
Annuals Native Plants and Wildflowers Keeps Horses Dog Lover Daylilies Region: Canadian
Butterflies Birds Enjoys or suffers cold winters Garden Sages Plant Identifier
Pamela, placing rocks at the bottom of a pot inreases the amount of water in the potting mix so that you end up with less, but wetter, potting mix. A pot should have the same texture of mix throughout the whole pot for best drainage. This happens because water does not cross easily from a fine texture to a coarse textured material, instead it only drains when the potting mix has become so wet it cannot hold any more water.
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Oct 18, 2016 5:55 AM CST
Name: Rick Moses
Derwood, MD (Zone 7b)
Azaleas Hostas Tender Perennials Ferns Garden Photography Plant and/or Seed Trader
Forum moderator Region: United States of America Region: Mid-Atlantic Region: Maryland Million Pollinator Garden Challenge
Pam,

Put your lights on a timer and have them going for a good 12 hours, just like a summer day. They make an extension that has a built in timer. You could plug 8 things in at a time. Here's one from Home Depot.
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As far as position, you definitely want to keep the lights close. Otherwise, your plants will reach for the light and become leggy.
LLK: No longer by my side, but forever in my heart.
Pal tiem shree tal ma.
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Oct 18, 2016 8:55 AM CST
Name: Philip Becker
Fresno California (Zone 8a)
I agree 😎😎😎
Anything i say, could be misrepresented, or wrong.
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Oct 18, 2016 9:27 AM CST
Thread OP
Name: Pamela Gregory
Md (Zone 6b)
Gardening A Perfect antidepressant
Thanks everyone so much. I have already gotten that same timer I think its that one. I had not used it yet for a few reasons the main one is I was unsure how long to put them under the light! Another reason is I have been bringing my plants out everyday and this week we went back to 83 degrees and my plants were out each day to enjoy the weather with me.
Guys I stilll have so many questions and a few issues. Im trying not to mix my topics ect its just a little tough . If anyone is knowledgeable in coleus and persian shields, please message me. Im really worried about my persian shields. There my favs atm so I hope I can figure this all out if something is wrong with them.
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Oct 18, 2016 10:13 AM CST
Name: Rick Moses
Derwood, MD (Zone 7b)
Azaleas Hostas Tender Perennials Ferns Garden Photography Plant and/or Seed Trader
Forum moderator Region: United States of America Region: Mid-Atlantic Region: Maryland Million Pollinator Garden Challenge
Pam,

Post some pics of your plants and say what you think is going on. I'm sure someone here will have an answer.
LLK: No longer by my side, but forever in my heart.
Pal tiem shree tal ma.
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