but not soggy. Enough water should be added to the pot so that it runs out of the drain holes, but do not leave the standing water in the saucer. If the water is not disposed of, it will make your plant feel as if it is drowning because the roots will still be in contact with the water, which would cause over-hydration.
"Good drainage is absolutely essential in planting a successful indoor garden," says Crystal Hge, greenhouse employee at Sunrise Garden Center, 15th and New York streets. "A drainage system can be created by including a layer of rocks or pebbles between the soil and the bottom of the pot. Without one, the plants will not grow as well."
An easy way to see if your plant is suffering from water woes is to check its leaves. If your plant is wilting outwards from the stem, you have over watered it. Other signs of over watering include discoloration, wilting foliage and the loss of the lower leaves on the plant. However, if the leaves are wilting along their outer tips, you may be under watering.
Another factor that can make or
break your garden is the amount of light that it receives each day. Carrots, radishes and lettuce are of the root and leaf variety and will grow in partial shade. Tomatoes and peppers grow best with five hours of direct sunlight each day.The best place for these plants is in a window facing the south that gets plenty of sunlight. Herbs are also sunloving plants, so it is best to grow them side-by-side with tomatoes and peppers. Plants that receive too little light will have leaves that are dull and scraggly, while those getting too much light will suffer from sun scorch. Sun scorch can be detected by the appearance of brown spots surrounded by yellow coloring on the leaves of the plant.
Indoor gardens are beneficial because they allow you to grow your own vegetables and herbs, which can be expensive to buy. Even people with brown thumbs can succeed at growing. All a plant really needs is a little TLC.
—Erica Brittain, Jayplay writer, can be reached at ebrittain@kansan.com.
INEXPENSIVE INDOOR GARDENS
BY ERICA BRITTAIN
Using materials you have around the house and seeds that cost next to nothing, you can create your own indoor garden while spending less than $10. The best way to plant your vegetables or herbs is to use the eggshell-carton method, which can be done in seven steps. The eggshell method is not only inexpensive, but it also provides the plant with extra calcium, helping it to grow quicker.
Items needed:
One cardboard eggshell carton
Seeds of your choice (Westlake Ace Hardware, starting at 59 cents per pack)
12 halved eggshells that have been saved after cooking
One·bag of potting soil (Miracle-Gro 32-quart potting mix, $6.97)
Spray bottle
One empty gallon milk jug with the top
cut off
Instructions:
1. Take the bottom half of a cardboard eggshell carton and poke holes in the bottom of each compartment.
2. Place halved eggshells into compartments and poke a small hole through the bottom of each shell.
6. Mist gently each day with a spray bottle until seedlings begin to sprout—it usually takes two weeks.
3. Fill the shells halfway up with soil.
5. Fill the shells to the top with potting soil.
4. Add a seed to each shell.
7. Once seedlings have sprouted, transfer the shell to the milk jug, filled with at least six inches of potting soil. The shell will crush into the new soil and the plant will continue to grow.
thursday, november 6, 2003
jayplay 9