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Starting a garden in a city apartment
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Date Posted: Mon, Sep 16 - 12:40 am
- I want to start gardening more seriously but I live in a city apartment with no ability to open my windows. I still have sunlight though, what kind of small plants are good to start with in this situation?
- There are plenty of options for small plants that can thrive indoors. Indoor plants are such a great way to brighten your space and clean your air. Here are a few great options to get you started: 1. Herbs: Many herbs grow well indoors with sunlight. Some easy ones to start with are basil, mint, parsley, and chives. They’re compact, easy to care for, and perfect for adding fresh flavor to your cooking. 2. Succulents and Cacti: These are ideal for small spaces and don’t require much maintenance. Plants like aloe vera and jade plant thrive in sunlight and only need occasional watering. 3. Spider Plant: A hardy plant that tolerates a range of indoor conditions. It’s also great for air purification and is easy to grow in small pots. 4. Snake Plant: Also known as Sansevieria, it’s a low-maintenance plant that does well in indirect sunlight and can thrive in indoor conditions without open windows. 5. Pothos: This vining plant is highly adaptable, tolerating low to bright indirect sunlight. It’s also great for small spaces, as it can trail from shelves or hang from a small pot. 6. Microgreens: If you want to grow something edible, microgreens like radish, sunflower, or pea shoots are fast-growing, require little space, and only need sunlight and water. This is a great time of year to be thinking about adding some plants inside! It will be so nice to have them around as we transition into winter. Just ensure they get the sunlight they need, and water them according to their specific needs.
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Mint-powdery mildew
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Date Posted: Tue, Aug 17 - 8:48 pm
- I am growing organic mint in a pot. Noticed that there is powdery white stuff on the leaves. What is that and how can I treat it naturally? Is it safe to eat / use the mint leaves if it has this white powdery stuff on it? Thanks Vilma
- The powdery white stuff you see sounds like the fungus powdery mildew. This is a very common problem with many plants but it is not difficult to correct in this type of situation. If you can, first, isolate the plant and remove affected leaves. There are many solutions. I'll list 3 here and you can see which one suits you and try another if the first choice doesn't do the trick. 1.Try using this combination-1 gallon water, 1/2 teaspoon non-detergent soap, 1 tablespoon baking soda. Pour this solution into a clean spray bottle and liberally apply this to the plant. The soap will help the diluted baking soap stick to the mint leaves and stems. It's best to water the plant well before using the solution and don't apply while the plant is in hot sun, early morning is best. You can repeat this every 7 days and after a rain. Some people feel this works best as a preventative rather than a control. So if you find that you're having the same issue with powdery mildew year after year, apply this solution at the beginning of the season. 2. Another solution is a mixture of 3 tbsp. of neem oil to one gallon of water, sprayed onto affected plants every 7-14 days. Again, don't spray while the plant is in hot sun to avoid burning. 3. And yet another possibility is using milk. I have never tried this but I understand you can get some good results. Try a mixture of 4 parts milk to six parts water and spray bi-weekly. Apply in early morning. In all cases, try any solution on a test leaf first to see how the plant responds. And no, I wouldn't eat the leaves that are covered in powdery mildew but once the plant shows no signs of the fungus, feel free to use the plant in whatever dish you like. Good luck and let us know which solution was successful for you.