House plants/gardening

[Tight_N_Juicy]

Can you use charcoal ashes from a BBQ grill to fertilize plants? I thought about that myself, but I was afraid of introducing anything toxic in there. I know they add chemicals to the briquets.

Mitt beat me to it!

Definitely look into what your local soil already has, how acidic/alkaline it is etc before adding anything to a garden bed. Also keep in mind which plants are going to be *taking* certain nutrients from the soil, and which ones will *add* them.

We're looking into doing a few raised beds this year so we can grow potatoes and carrots too.. they don't like the density of the earth here where I'm at so we have to do raised beds with different soil. It's gonna be fun!

 

[T_Lurch]

Mitt beat me to it!

Definitely look into what your local soil already has, how acidic/alkaline it is etc before adding anything to a garden bed. Also keep in mind which plants are going to be *taking* certain nutrients from the soil, and which ones will *add* them.

We're looking into doing a few raised beds this year so we can grow potatoes and carrots too.. they don't like the density of the earth here where I'm at so we have to do raised beds with different soil. It's gonna be fun!

This is great stuff to know, thank you!

I've been using mainly pots and planting boxes and utilizing potting mix for plants. Florida has a sandy loam type soil which is unsuitable for many types of plants, except palm trees and some tropicals. I know that once you go to the inland U.S. the soil gets richer and darker. I would imagine in the southwest it's pretty arid and dry so pots and raised beds are probably a must. The lemongrass I lucked out with; it's apparently resilient and grows damn near anywhere.

I would love to do vegetables as well, but lack the space in our back yard.

 

[Mittimer]

And the aforementioned pests, the Jamaican curly-tailed lizard. Once the weather gets hot, these little bastards come out in swarms. It's not unusual for me to step outside my door and see 7 or 8 of them at once, scurrying out of the shrubs. I've got nothing against them; but they are an invasive species here. If I could meet whoever brought them to Florida, I'd brain him with a bag of frozen peas.
View attachment 30800901

FL is full of crazy critters, but I think that may be one of the cutest little nuisances I've seen here.

Have you been to key west? Chickens. ALL THE CHICKENS. Everywhere. It's fascinating and horrifying.

Up here in North FL we have loooots of geese and invasive Muscovy ducks. Turkey looking duck things. Confusing little critters.

 

[Tight_N_Juicy]

This is great stuff to know, thank you!

I've been using mainly pots and planting boxes and utilizing potting mix for plants. Florida has a sandy loam type soil which is unsuitable for many types of plants, except palm trees and some tropicals. I know that once you go to the inland U.S. the soil gets richer and darker. I would imagine in the southwest it's pretty arid and dry so pots and raised beds are probably a must. The lemongrass I lucked out with; it's apparently resilient and grows damn near anywhere.

I would love to do vegetables as well, but lack the space in our back yard.

Actually, the pots need *more* water more often than what we have planted in the earth. They dry out in a matter of hours in direct sun. We're really lucky with where our land is located, water doesn't have to travel far and we're close enough to the water table that we don't have to water trees at all once the roots are established. Less than a mile from us that's not really possible.

I do want to try blueberries in a nice container though. They won't grow in the soil here, it's not acidic enough at all for them. It's actually already fairly neutral, but does lean a bit alkaline for blueberries. So, they'll need a nice container with their own special soil too.

 

[Tight_N_Juicy]

FL is full of crazy critters, but I think that may be one of the cutest little nuisances I've seen here.

Have you been to key west? Chickens. ALL THE CHICKENS. Everywhere. It's fascinating and horrifying.

Up here in North FL we have loooots of geese and invasive Muscovy ducks. Turkey looking duck things. Confusing little critters.

I can't deny I do love watching the chickens hunt bugs and other little crawlies. Even though I appreciate crawlies.

 

[Mittimer]

I can't deny I do love watching the chickens hunt bugs and other little crawlies. Even though I appreciate crawlies.

Having your own chickens is cool, but look up the chicken issue in key west lol. I love chickens, but you can't walk ten feet without one giving you the stink eye down there. Cranky little bastards lol

 

[T_Lurch]

FL is full of crazy critters, but I think that may be one of the cutest little nuisances I've seen here.

Have you been to key west? Chickens. ALL THE CHICKENS. Everywhere. It's fascinating and horrifying.

Up here in North FL we have loooots of geese and invasive Muscovy ducks. Turkey looking duck things. Confusing little critters.

I suppose I should be grateful it isn't giant huntsman spiders and water moccasins though. The giant spiders give me the screaming ab-dabs. You spray them with insecticide and they just shrug it off and look at you like the Incredible Hulk after someone hit him with a spitball. Then you've got the lovebugs that show up like a biblical pestilence twice a year in immense numbers and mess up a lot of people's paint jobs. And the pythons someone let loose in the Everglades.

At least ducks are adorable though. Never a good idea to introduce new species anywhere, it's why we have Customs laws. Ask an Australian about what cane toads have done to their country.

 

[Mittimer]

I suppose I should be grateful it isn't giant huntsman spiders and water moccasins though. The giant spiders give me the screaming ab-dabs. You spray them with insecticide and they just shrug it off and look at you like the Incredible Hulk after someone hit him with a spitball. Then you've got the lovebugs that show up like a biblical pestilence twice a year in immense numbers and mess up a lot of people's paint jobs. And the pythons someone let loose in the Everglades.

At least ducks are adorable though. Never a good idea to introduce new species anywhere, it's why we have Customs laws. Ask an Australian about what cane toads have done to their country.

The weird invasive ducks up here legit look like mutated turkies. It's odd and you kinda just look at them sideways.

FL just did a wide sweeping reptile ban, so we will likely start to see less in the coming years of the adorable danger noodles. :'(

 

[rbkwp]

ENZO PÉRÈS-LABOURDETTE / YALE E360

ESSAY
How the Loss of Soil Is Sacrificing America’s Natural Heritage
A new study points to a stunning loss of topsoil in the Corn Belt — the result of farming practices that have depleted this once-fertile ground. Beyond diminished agricultural productivity and more carbon in the atmosph

How the Loss of Soil Is Sacrificing America’s Natural Heritage

WW I WOULD SAY

 

[sudcalifornio]

i have a cactus, a tree rose, lemon grass, flower bulbs

 

[Tight_N_Juicy]

So I felt like I needed a "me time" day because I've been really stressed out/anxious the past few weeks (boo hoo for me, I know, everyone is in this shitty boat with me).

I got a 250 mg medicated chocolate bar and a few grams of some really pungent, tasty herb to puff on while I have fun with my houseplants.

It's starting to hit, so I'm off to wet my planties

 

[TheMeatyProfessor]

Got some decent-sized succulents as birthday presents this weekend!

 

[Tight_N_Juicy]

My mottled phalaenopsis arrived, it took almost 2 weeks to get here (fuckin FedEx) and when it did one leaf was broken off and two others cracked.. but she's alive! A little dehydrated and wounded from being shittily shipped, but I'll have the little lady feeling better as soon as possible.

The underside of the leaves are such a beautiful purple, I'm just twitterpated with this little gem.

 

[Serpentlike]

I love my plants. I garden all of the time.

 

[T_Lurch]

View attachment 31237981 My mottled phalaenopsis arrived, it took almost 2 weeks to get here (fuckin FedEx) and when it did one leaf was broken off and two others cracked.. but she's alive! A little dehydrated and wounded from being shittily shipped, but I'll have the little lady feeling better as soon as possible.

The underside of the leaves are such a beautiful purple, I'm just twitterpated with this little gem.

Fedex!!! You're lucky it's not in pieces with them bringing it. UPS is just as bad too.

Good that she's more or less intact.

 

[Tight_N_Juicy]

Fedex!!! You're lucky it's not in pieces with them bringing it. UPS is just as bad too.

Good that she's more or less intact.

They usually do pretty good, something about this particular order just didn't work out as well as usual for whatever reason. Still.. had to vent a lil. I was so sad to see the little leaf she lost.

I guess that's the roll of the dice when ordering live plants online

 

[rbkwp]

March Equinox Brings Spring to the North

At around 09:37 UTC on Saturday, March 20, the Sun crosses the celestial equator towards the north. This moment marks the Northern Hemisphere's spring equinox and the first day of astronomical spring. The March equinox is also the Southern Hemisphere's fall or autumnal equinox and kickstarts the South's fall season.

 

[pdxjoe]

View attachment 31237981 My mottled phalaenopsis arrived, it took almost 2 weeks to get here (fuckin FedEx) and when it did one leaf was broken off and two others cracked.. but she's alive! A little dehydrated and wounded from being shittily shipped, but I'll have the little lady feeling better as soon as possible.

The underside of the leaves are such a beautiful purple, I'm just twitterpated with this little gem.

Did you file a freight damage claim with FedEx or the shipper for her damage. It looks like the shipper did a poor job of packing to start with then FedEx handled her badly. I have ordered plants online from the east coast that were shipped USPS where the box was partly crushed but the plants were just fine because they were well packed. Good luck with bringing her back from bad treatment in getting to you.

 

[Tight_N_Juicy]

Did you file a freight damage claim with FedEx or the shipper for her damage. It looks like the shipper did a poor job of packing to start with then FedEx handled her badly. I have ordered plants online from the east coast that were shipped USPS where the box was partly crushed but the plants were just fine because they were well packed. Good luck with bringing her back from bad treatment in getting to you.

The nursery packed it well, they always do.. the way it was boxed was fine it's just how long it took and it definitely got knocked around somethin' fierce. The sphagnum moss was completely crunchy, and they always send it *slightly* moist if it's a phalaenopsis species which doesn't like drying out. After almost two weeks, yeah. It was bone dry. She's already perked up quite a bit just after a good watering. After a lil adjustment period (a few days to really hydrate and get a little sun) I already have more sphagnum and a bigger pot ready and waiting.

I don't understand how it got so damaged, of all the orchids I've ordered from there this is the only one that got shipped like that. She got beat up!

Didn't filed a damage claim. Should have though. I think I still can? Looking it up now....

 

[MickeyLee]

@Tight_N_Juicy - even if the report only alerts FedEx to damage and the lack of care being taken with living plants. *plants not planets. Outside of MIB or Hitchhiker's Guide shipping planets is not practical.

All deliveries in my area are all fripped up. Lost, returned to sender, sent to the same street address in a different state, perishables delivered days late.

All the fuckery at USPS, Covid and freak weather has it all nuts.