Archive for the ‘Articles’ Category

Getting Started With Small Indoor Green Houses

Friday, November 20th, 2009

If you’re stuck in an apartment or have a small yard, you probably wish you had more room for a nice green house. It’d be nice to have lush plants growing outside in your yard, but since that’s not a possibility, you’ll have to go with an alternative option.

Fortunately, there are products available for creating small indoor green houses. There are plants that do grow well inside, and you should be able to find some that will fit inside your apartment or home.

You can even keep some plants in your basement. Some small indoor green houses can be ordered in packages with light accessories. It might be a bit confusing at first, especially when dealing with hydroponic gardening. The good news is that indoor hydroponics is easier to deal with than outdoor, so you just need to watch a tutorial video or read an instruction guide to figure out how to get the soil and lighting settings adjusted correctly. They can’t be over-lighted or under-lighted, so you’ll have to learn how to adjust the settings for all the plants.

The great thing about small indoor green houses is that they don’t attract as many bugs as outdoor green houses. You also won’t have to worry about them being destroyed in harsh elements. Nevertheless, you still need to make sure they get the right type of soil and light. Once they’re set up properly, your indoor plants will grow quickly.

The simplest, cheapest indoor plants are the ones that can be placed on a windowsill. They are a great choice if you’re looking for something simple to start with, and you can get them for less than $20. All you have to do is make sure they get adequate sunlight and water them often. Some indoor plants come with covers to help maintain moisture. You can order kits that contain settings for controlling humidity levels and temperature.

Growing racks are perhaps the most popular small indoor green houses. They are shelves that have a protective covering and built-in lighting. They come in a variety of sizes and styles, so you should be able to find some racks that look great in your home. The models come in two to four racks, and you can place them on a table or floor. You can also order a corner unit if you want to keep them in the corner of your home or basement.

All in all, having a small indoor green house inside your home will give you a chance to be creative. You can grow flowers, fruits, spices, vegetables, etc. There is a lot to choose from, and you need to make sure you get the right type of plants for your home. Whether you want to keep them on a table, windowsill, or basement, you need to find out what plants will grow best in your indoor environment.

Indoor Plant Care Tips to Help Your Plants Grow

Thursday, November 19th, 2009

House plants brighten up your apartment, home, or office. It’s important that you care for them throughout the year. Indoor plant care is especially important during winter months when a minimal amount, if any, of sunlight comes through the window. Some outdoor gardeners choose to bring their plants indoors during winter months since they know lighting fixtures can be used to sustain the growth.

People choose to growing herbs indoors for a variety of reasons. Some do to grow fruits and vegetables while others do so to add to the décor in homes and offices. Indeed, plants look great inside of homes, just as long as they match the surrounding décor and furniture.

The best way to keep them healthy is to provide them with the best type of lighting, soil, and temperature to match their natural environment. Humidity and temperatures can drastically affect indoor plants, so make sure you grow plants that will survive easily within your home or office.

Here are some indoor plant care tips you need to take into consideration:

• Most tropical plants do best in warm temperatures with relative humidity of 55-75%. However, if the temperature inside your home rises above 67 degrees F in the spring or summer, the humidity drops a great deal. Thus, you may need to keep the temperature down a tad bit and sacrifice a bit of warmth if you want to grow tropical plants.

• Don’t forget that plants need air, so you don’t want to smother them too much. Both fresh and moving air is essential for the growth of plants, especially during the hottest days of the year. So open a window or door every now and then and allow the fresh air to come in. A circulatory fan can also do wonders, so you might want to get one of those as well. Your indoor plants will even need fresh air during winter months.

• Another important factor of indoor plant care is protecting them against bugs; thus you will want to spray them every now and then with an organic pesticide. Every part of the plant should be sprayed, including the underside of the leaves. Only use warm water when spraying as cold water can be somewhat harmful.

• The plants should all be placed underneath the appropriate lighting, which is categorized as being high, medium, or low. Each plant needs to receive the appropriate amount of lighting in order to thrive. There are guides available online if you’re unsure about any of them.

Follow these tips for indoor plant care and your plants will grow quickly and last for a very long time!

Indoor Grow Lighting – What Type do You Need for Your Plants?

Wednesday, November 18th, 2009

One of the most important things you need to consider if you have plants in your home is lighting. The right type of indoor grow lighting is needed in order for your plants to grow properly. If the settings aren’t just right, the plants won’t grow as they should.

To determine how much light they require, you need to think about how they would grow in their natural, outdoor environment. How much sunlight is needed for vegetables to grow outdoors? What about foliage plants? There are a variety of lighting sets to choose from, so if you need to make sure you order the right kind for your indoor garden or green house.

Some plants also need a bit of darkness, so you won’t always need to keep the indoor lighting on. While plants can and do grow under continuous light, a period of darkness can still be beneficial. Obviously, the amount of light and darkness needed varies from plant to plant. Some need more light, some don’t need very much light, and others need an equal amount of light and dark periods.

Since sunlight may not be available to you all the time, depending on where you live, indoor grow lighting will really be essential during winter months. If you have low-light plants, then fluorescent is a good choice. Fluorescent light is good for plants less than 8” tall. For taller plants, you need to consider hydrofarm high intensity light, as it can emit well over 100,000 lumens. Hydrofarm high intensity light is not only pretty powerful, it’s also simple to set up and use.

Two other choices are halide and sodium. Sodium emit light that is similar to that of an autumn sunset. The quality is primarily in the orange/yellow area of the light spectrum. They’re especially useful in areas where some other light, such as halide, is already present. Sodium are a great choice if you want to add additional light that isn’t overly powerful to your plants.

Halide is extremely powerful indoor grow lighting. You can grow any plant indoors with halide – even in your basement during winter months! It’s very easy to obtain halide. There are lighting fixtures available in all sizes for both commercial and residential applications. You can find some fixtures that are both vapor-proof and vandal-proof. This is a great option if you have enough room for a fairly large indoor green house.

Some indoor green houses and plant systems are already pre-wired and ready to go. All you have to do is plug the lighting fixtures into any standard outlet. The kits already include a variety of plants and the appropriate indoor grow lighting. Whether you want to grow vegetables, flowers, fruit, or any other type of plant, you will be able to do so with the right products and equipment.

A List of the Most Important Indoor Gardening Tips

Tuesday, November 17th, 2009

If you want to be surrounded by lush greenery all year round and don’t have enough space outdoors, you can create an indoor garden. Whether you want to grow foliage, vegetables, or both, you will find indoor gardening tips to be helpful.

indoor gardening tipsThe internet is filled with guides on indoor plants and gardens, so you need to do a bit of research before getting started with your indoor herb gardening. It’s important that you have the information needed for growing house plants successfully.
Here are some indoor gardening tips:

• Make sure they get enough light. If they don’t get enough light every single day, they will become weak and frail. Even if your home or office doesn’t get enough sunlight, you can buy artificial light bulbs or lamps. You can also choose plants that will grow well in environments with low lights.

• Give your plants a bath. Seriously. You don’t have to do so every day, but it’s a good idea to do so on a regular basis. Make sure that there is no grime or dust on the leaves or stems. Clean every spot on the plant, including the underside of each leaf.

• Be careful with the type of soil you use. Outdoor soil can contain pesticides or weeds that can be harmful to indoor plants. Use a special type of soil designed for indoor containers and pots. It’s generally cleaner than outside soil.

• Don’t forget to add holes to the bottom of the container! Of course, you can purchase pots with holes at the bottom, but if you want to use a plastic container, you might have to make your own. Without drainage holes, the water will collect in the pot, which will cause damage to the roots.

• Some of the best indoor gardening tips concern watering. Water is essential for a plant’s growth. Some need more than others, but they all need a fair amount on a daily basis. You should always use room temperature water. However, you shouldn’t use TOO much of it, or that will harm your plants as well. Make sure you give them enough water, but not too much.

• Fertilization is also important. Water will flush out some of the soil’s nutrients, so you will have to add some more. Many people choose to spray a liquid fertilizer in their plants’ regularly. Keep track of how often you fertilize each plant so that you don’t overdo it.

These are just some of the most helpful indoor gardening tips you need to consider whenever you grow plants in your home or office. Keep these in mind, do additional research if you have to, and your plants will grow successfully!

A Beginner’s Guide to Growing Plants Indoors

Monday, November 16th, 2009

The first thing you need to think about in regards to growing plants indoors is selection. What type of plants do you want to grow? Obviously, you should choose something isn’t too difficult to care for, and that will grow safely inside your home or office. You will need to provide them with the type of lighting, temperature, humidity, fertilization, ventilation, and soil they’re used to receiving in their natural environments.

Light is the most important factor for indoor plant growth. Their growth and the amount of time they remain active all depends on the light they receive. You need to know how much light to provide them with.

Three aspects that need to be considered about light include: intensity, duration, and quality. Everything from the amount of light coming penetrating through the curtains to the cleanliness of the window determines a plant’s growth.

Obviously, you can get bulbs to help with growing herbs indoors. Artificial lighting can be used indoors in just about any setting. There are many bulbs to choose from, ranging from incandescent light bulbs to metal halide lamps. The average fluorescent tube can last up to 10,000 hours, whereas a standard incandescent bulb only lasts 1,000 hours. Metal halide lamps are the most powerful, but they’re not always readily available or adaptable.

Water is also important. You need to know how much water to give each plant and when to give it to them. Some do well in drier conditions and others do not. Soil differences can vary a great deal.

One way to tell when a house plant needs water is to check the bottom half of the pot. If it’s slightly dry, you need to water it. Wait until more than just the top one-third of the pot dries, or else you’ll end up over-watering.

You can tell how wet or dry the soil is by sticking your finger about two inches into the soil. If it feels damp, you shouldn’t have to water. If it’s dry, then you should take care of the watering until the water is running out of the bottom of the pot. This way, you can be certain that the roots are being taken care of. If your finger won’t dig down at least two inches into the soil during the testing, then you probably need a better mix of it.

Both temperature and humidity are extremely important. For the most part, growing plants indoors is pretty easy just as long as your house or office has a normal temperature fluctuation. However, this isn’t always the case. A good general rule to remember is to keep the temperature at night at least 10 degrees lower than day temperature. You may also need a humidifier or ventilating system inside your home in order to provide the plants with an appropriate level of moisture.

Growing Basil Indoors

Sunday, November 15th, 2009

Growing basil indoors is pretty easy, as it is a plant that doesn’t generally require a lot of care. However, you still need to keep an eye on it, especially when it’s young, because replanting can be difficult. It’s a plant that doesn’t require a whole lot, but what it does require can sometimes turn into a tedious routine.

Basil grows steadily just as long as the soil can retain sufficient water and drain excesses away. This plant really doesn’t need a whole lot of fertilization, although you should still water it one a day with warm water.

growing basil plantThe best type of pot for growing basil indoors is a strawberry pot. This will make it easy to keep each variety in its place. All you have to do is fill the pot with dirt up to the first opening, where you will plant some seeds and add some water. You must then proceed to fill dirt up to the next opening, and continue the process to the top. If you’re planting the basil for cooking, then plant sweet basil at the top of the pot.

Growing basil indoors is a lot like growing it out in a garden, except that you need to use a container. Any pot will do just as long as you make a few holes at the bottom. It’s important that excessive water drains out appropriately so that the roots don’t rot. This is because basil grows best in moist soil, so make sure the pot is never filled with too much water. You should also occasionally cut off single leaves. Make sure you don’t cut away leaves that are a pair.

The type of fertilizer you use depends on the reason(s) for which you’re growing the basil. If you are growing basil for food flavoring, then you should only use an organic fertilizer. For any other reason, a general fertilizer can be used just as long as it helps the plant maintain PH levels. Healthy PH levels are important when growing the basil in your home, so you need to check once a month to ensure the plants have PH levels between 6.5 and 7.5.

As with all indoor plants, lighting is important when growing basil in your home. This plant typically requires six hours or more of sunlight a day, so you need to place it near a sunny window. If this isn’t an option, then you need to place it under fluorescent lights for at least ten hours a day. Some people choose to alternate between sun and artificial light when growing basil indoors. Whatever you do, make sure it doesn’t get too little or too much.

Building Your Own Hydroponics System

Saturday, November 14th, 2009

Building your own hydroponics system isn’t as hard as you may think. All you have to do is follow the right instructions and you can create a system to provide your plants with water. If you don’t have enough space for the garden of your dreams, then you need to learn about hydroponics. All the essential nutrients will be mixed in with the water supply in order to provide each plant with everything it needs to survive and grow.

simple hydroponics systemBy building your own hydroponics system, your plants will all grow faster. This is especially good if you grow and sell them. You can expect a higher yield if they grow quickly. You can also save a lot of money by enjoying them all year round. You can expect a fresh supply of high quality vegetables and foliage on a regular basis with your own hydroponics system.

There are DIY guides that will teach you how to build the system. To get started, you will need a container such as a bucket or fish tank. It should have the same dimensions (l x w) from top to bottom. This will be the reservoir, and you will need to paint it black. You will need to keep track of how much water you put in, so make sure you have measuring tape ready.

You will also need Styrofoam. It should be ¼” smaller than the dimensions of the reservoir. For instance, if the reservoir dimensions are 34” in length and 18” in width, the Styrofoam should be cut to 33 ¾” x 17 ¾”. However, if the top of the reservoir is larger in dimension than the bottom, the Styrofoam should be at least two inches smaller in order to fit appropriately. There needs to be enough room to add water.

Before you place the Styrofoam in the reservoir, you need to cut some holes. Set the net pots on top of it in the places you plan on placing the plants. With a sharp object, cut the Styrofoam around the bottom of the pots. You also need to cut a hole on one end for the air line. Space the plants appropriately around the Styrofoam so that each can receive an adequate amount of light.

The last main step in building your own hydroponics system is to choose a pump and connect the air line to the bottom of the reservoir. A good hydroponics supply store should recommend the right size pump for you. They come in gallons of at least two, so you need to get one large enough for your reservoir. Hopefully, the pump will come with the air line. If not, then make sure you order one that will extend from the pump to the bottom of the reservoir.

Always keep your reservoir filled with a good nutrient solution so that your plants will receive everything they need in order to grow. This guide just provides the basics for building your own hydroponics system, so if you have any trouble, you can look over a more detailed DIY guide and watch how-to videos.

Growing Indoor Herbs

Thursday, October 29th, 2009

Today a lot of people are going out and growing indoor herbs inside their house. Many of them are first timers and they’re enjoying the success of indoor herb gardening. You don’t need to have a green thumb to appreciate the beauty of having nice plants inside your house.

There are many benefits to growing herbs indoors, especially if you’re convinced on the kinds of herbs your want to grow and the reason for planting them. Herbs have different purposes. They can be used as culinary or for medicinal purposes. Depending on the reason why you want to grow herbs at home, below are some indoor herbs your garden must have:

Chives: Chive is a common herb grown inside the house that can be used as culinary or for pest control in your indoor garden. It is commonly use as condiment for soups, potatoes and tastes great with fish.

Chives is one herb every garden should have because chives has insect repelling properties which can be effectively used in gardens to control pest.

Thyme: Thyme herbs are valuable indoor herbs commonly use as culinary or for medicinal purposes. Thyme has a strong flavor and is often use to flavor stews, soups and meat. Medically, thyme is a great source of iron and is often use as an antiseptic. Pinches of thyme leave taken as tea can relief cough and other respiratory infections.

Basil: The basil is my favorite of all indoor herbs. Growing a basil demands attention. Often these plants are attack by fungus and other plant diseases. However, growing a basil is worth the effort.

Basil is commonly used as a flavor-topping in dishes and even ice-creams.

Oregano: The Oregano is a mint herb. It is famous for its very aromatic leaves which can be used fresh or dried in seasoning food. Oregano is commonly used to eliminate the odor of the meat, and to add a nice, spicy flavor.
Medically, the Oregano is a good antioxidant. It is also has anti-microbial properties that fights against food borne pathogens.

Parsley: is a bright green leafy herb often used as spice much the same way as coriander. Parsley is mostly used as garnish. The fresh flavor of green parsley goes extremely well with any dish.

Growing indoor herbs inside the house is is a terrific way to relax, have a good time with nature and enjoy the herbs you create at the same time. There are numerous herbs that can be grown indoors depending on the reason for growing them. Below are some more indoor herbs with their common usage:

Culinary herbs:

Sage
Rosemary
Dill
Coriander

Mint

Medicinal indoor herbs:

Prickly ginseng
Garlic
Lemon grass
Peppermint
Thyme

Pest Control herbs:

Chives
Pennyroyal
Oregano

The Benefits Of Having Essential Herb Garden Kits

Thursday, October 15th, 2009

Whether you are a novice or an expert, purchasing essential herb garden kits can be the perfect solution for your indoor garden. It simplifies the entire process while allowing you to grow an exquisite garden. Here are just a few of the many ways you can benefit from an herb garden kit.

herb garden kitsFirst and foremost, essential herb garden kits allow you to get started quickly and easily. As oppose to stumbling around trying to figure out what to start with and where to go from there, most kits will come with detailed step-by-step instruction to guide you through the entire process.

The problem many gardener enthusiasts have is a lack of space. Indoor herb gardening can be difficult to do if there is not that much space to work with. Fortunately, a lot of herb garden kits are designed to work in small and compact areas. This eliminates all of the worry and allows you to get down to business.

Although the kits are designed for indoor gardens, you can find them to be a great way to kick-off your outdoor garden as well. As soon as the seasons change you can certainly use the kit for your garden outside.

The number one benefit to having essential herb garden kits is the type of results you will get. You will never again have to worry about ruining an entire season of gardening because you did not follow the right procedure. With detailed instructions and the proper ingredients, you will get the best results possible with your indoor garden.

Setting Up Your Own Italian Herb Garden

Wednesday, October 7th, 2009

Italian herbs are quintessential items on all of your favorite dishes from salmon to pasta to chicken. You will be amazed at how easy it is to set up your own Italian herb garden and grow basil, thyme, oregano and much more by following a few simple steps.

To start you will need to purchase containers that are large enough for the herbs to grow while having an adequate drainage area. Next, place the potting soil in the container with the seeds of the herbs you will be growing.

italian herb gardenIt is important you understand that unlike flowers and vegetables, herbs do not need to be watered on a constant basis. The key is to make sure the soil is moist enough for the herbs to properly grow. If it is moist, there is no need to water anymore.

After a little time you will begin to see two or three inch stalks, which is essentially when you can use the fresh herbs in your cooking. You can either pull the leaves from the plant while leaving an inch or two of growth or you can cut them with small scissors. Leaving an inch or two allows for further growth following this batch.

As mentioned, there are a number of different kinds of herbs you can grow with your Italian herb garden. Basil is perfect for tomato-based Italian dishes, thyme is used with lamb and tomatoes, while oregano is most common with tomato dishes, fried foods and grilled meats.

Herbs are an essential piece to most meals you will consume. For this reason, it only makes sense to grow your very own fresh herbs within an Italian herb garden.