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How to Grow a Coffee Bean Plant Indoors

 

A coffee bean plant makes a wonderful indoor plant. Coffee plants are great for both an experienced gardener, and a novice. They are easy to care for and add a nice touch to the decor. They prefer bright, indirect light. They should be near a window, but not placed directly in the windowsill. They cannot tolerate freezing, and will not do well in a location that repeatedly drops below 65°F. Avoid placing them in a drafty area in the wintertime.

The soil should be kept moist, but it should not be soaking wet. Good drainage is important for both the soil, and the pot in which the coffee plant is growing. Putting the coffee plant on a water-filled humidity tray that has pebbles in it will help maintain the humidity. As with most indoor plants, coffee plants require less water in the wintertime.

Every two or three months, you should feed your coffee plant with a balanced fertilizer in the spring and summer. Be aware that a healthy coffee plant can grow up to 6 feet tall. For this reason, it is important to provide enough space for the plant, or make pruning it a regular part of your routine. If you decide on the pruning option, early spring is the best time to do it.

It is possible to grow coffee beans indoors; however the growing conditions need to be perfect.  If ideal conditions are achieved, within 3 to 5 years, the plant will mature, and then flower. However, even under the best conditions, you can only expect a few flowers to be produced. You pollinate them by hand, coffee beans will begin to grow, but it’s very unlikely that enough will be produced in order to make a whole pot of coffee, but you might get a sufficient amount in order to be able to roast a few beans.

Read more at Gardening Know How: Coffee Plant Care – Growing Coffee Plants Indoors

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/houseplants/coffee/growing-coffee-plants-indoors.htm

Ginseng bonsai tree in a marble pot from Home Depot

 

Last Thursday afternoon, I went to Home Depot, and saw a ginseng bonsai tree for only forty dollars in a pot made of marble. It is very beautiful, but when you buy a bonsai tree from Home Depot, the bonsai tree, and the gravel is always glued in place. I was told that this is very bad for the bonsai tree as eventually the glue will kill the bonsai tree. For this reason, one should always repot any bonsai tree that you get at Home Depot with fresh soil, and break out all the gravel, and rocks that has been glued in place.

However, the problem is that the gravel has been so well glued in place that they can only be removed with a hammer and chisel and I’m worried that that might break the pot. For this reason, I’m going to leave everything in place for the moment and just see how things go. If I noticed that the bonsai tree is starting to die, I will take action then. I really wish that these companies did not do this, but I guess that’s the reason why these bonsai trees only cost forty dollars. It’s probably a lot cheaper to glue the plants in the place rather than wiring them from the bottom as they are supposed to be. The other really irritating thing is that the pot does not have holes in it so there’s nowhere for the water to drain. This is very bad because the roots should never sit for long periods in water. If I decide to repot the tree, I will definitely have holes drilled in the pot. Until that time, I will just have to be very careful, and not water the bonsai tree too much.

HOW TO CARE FOR AN ALOE VERA PLANT

 

I bought the aloe vera plant pictured above at my local Home Depot for $5.98. I really like the color of the pot, and that the pot has legs. I think it’s a great plant because it looks nice, it’s inexpensive, and even can be used to treat burns. I think it’s pretty much a win-win situation all the way around.

HOW TO CARE FOR AN ALOE VERA PLANT

  • Place in bright, indirect sunlight or artificial light. A western or southern window is ideal. Aloe that are kept in low light often grow leggy.
  • Aloe vera do best in temperatures between 55 and 80°F (13 and 27°C). The temperatures of most homes and apartment are ideal.
  • From May to September, you can bring your plant outdoors without any problems, but do bring it back inside in the evening if nights are cold.
  • Water aloe vera plants deeply, but infrequently. To discourage rot, allow the soil to dry at least 1 to 2 inches deep between waterings. Don’t let your plant sit in water.
  • Water about every 3 weeks and even more sparingly during the winter. Use your finger to test dryness before watering. If the potting mix stays wet, the plants’ roots can begin to rot.
  • Fertilize sparingly (no more than once a month), and only in the spring and summer with a balanced houseplant formula mixed at ½ strength.
  • Repot when root bound.

Mature aloe vera plants often produce babies. These baby plants are genetically identical to the parent plant. In order to replant the babies, follow the following instructions.

  1. Find where the babies are connected to the original plant and detach them using pruning shears, scissors, or a sharp knife. Leave at least an inch of stem on the baby..
  2. Allow the babies to sit out of soil for several days; this lets the offshoot form a callous over the cut, which helps to protect it from rot. Keep the babies in a warm location with indirect light during this time.
  3. Once the offshoots have formed callouses, pot them in a standard succulent potting mix. The soil should be well-draining.
  4. Put the newly-potted pups in a sunny location. Wait at least a week to water and keep the soil rather dry.

I got this information from The Old Farmer’s Almanac at Almanac.com:

https://www.almanac.com/plant/aloe-vera

The Midwest Bonsai Society Bonsai Show 2019

On August 18, 2019, I went to the Midwest Bonsai Society bonsai show. I realize that you want to see plants that I have, and not really this, but the trees are very beautiful, and I went there, so I thought that I would share some of the photographs with you for your viewing enjoyment. None of these trees are mine. I’m quite sure that I will never produce anything as beautiful as these trees. I hope one day I might produce something that’s close to looking like an actual bonsai tree, but I will never produce anything as beautiful as the works of art that are presented here in these photographs. I hope you enjoy them.

My New Desert Rose Plant is in Bloom!

My new desert rose plant is blooming! I just got it a couple months ago. Usually it takes a while for them to bloom, so I am very happy that it’s already blooming. What you need to get them to bloom is a lot of hot sunny days, and that’s what we’ve been having recently. Sunshine is definitely the key to getting them to bloom.  That being said, they can be temperamental. I have another one that blooms regularly throughout the summer, and another one, that almost never blooms no matter what I do, so I guess it can be rather hit and miss.

My apartment is under attack by fungus gnats!

Currently, my apartment is being attacked by fungus gnats which are little black flies that fly around everywhere, and land in my food and drink. Fungus gnats can be very bad for your plants, but there also incredibly irritating. The most important thing you need to do is cut back on the watering. They are usually caused by having soil that is too moist. Check the soil to see which plants they are coming from.

I was going to put something in the soil to see if that would cut down on the fungus gnats. However, I am always scared that putting something in the soil could damage my plants, so for the time being, I’m just going to cut back on the watering, and see how things go. So far, cutting back on the watering does seem to help with the fungus gnat problem. If anyone out there has any other suggestions, please let me know. As I say above, I have read that fungus gnats can be very bad for your plants, but quite frankly, I’ve been living with them for quite a while now, and nothing terrible has happened to my plants yet. At the same time, I certainly wish I could find a solution to this problem that would not entail putting chemicals in the soil.

Marimo Moss Ball Care

A Marimo moss ball is a cylindrical type of algae. They are very slow-growing. They grow about 5 mm a year. They can last for 100 years. In the wild, they can grow to as much is 12 inches in diameter. They are found in the northern parts of Japan in colder waters. That is the reason why a lot of people have a hard time keeping them. They are actually cold water algae. That’s why they don’t always do well in tropical fish tanks because the water is too warm. They prefer the water to be cold.  You should always use filtered water. Do not put them in direct sunlight. They do not do well in direct sunlight. Keeping them in direct sunlight will cause them to turn brown. They will also turn brown if the water is too warm.

I keep mine in a small bowl, and change the water every week or so. It’s also a good idea to stir the water every day with a wooden stick so that it will keep its round shape. In nature, it is moved by the ocean current, but since there is no current in your tank, you need to move it around every so often. It’s also a good idea to take it out and clean it every week, and squeeze it, and roll it around with your hands so I it will keep it’s shape.  I have also heard that people take them out of the tank, and give them a good cleaning in a    Tupperware bin.  Then they stick them in some dechlorinated water, and put them in the refrigerator for twenty-four hours. It’s really good for them, and makes them look really green. Another thing that I read online is that some people put in a little aquarium salt.

Marimos are the ultimate low maintenance pet. They are cute, and fun to play with, but require very little care. They make a great first pet for a child. If you do a search on YouTube you will find lots of videos about them.

Desert Rose Plant Care

I have read that desert rose plants are good for beginning gardeners, but that’s only true if you can provide for them the environment that they need. They are often sold as indoor houseplants, but it can be difficult to provide them with what they need indoors. I have three of them. One is doing great, but the other two are barely making it. They prefer extremely hot weather, and full sun. I find it very frustrating that I recently bought one that did not bloom, and when I called about it, then I was told about the need for full sun. One of my plants that is doing well has adapted to the conditions that I can provide, but many desert rose plants will not be able to adapt to the conditions that you have, so getting one for your home is kind of a gamble because you never know if it’s going to do well or not.

Desert rose plants are succulents. What makes them distinctive is that they develop a caudex, or swollen trunk.  All succulents have some kind of water storage system. In desert rose plants, the trunk swells to conserve moisture for times of drought. A thick trunk is an indicator of a healthy plant. A skinny one can indicate that the plant requires more moisture.

Desert rose plants are native to regions with poor, gritty soil, and a hot sunny climate. The plant will not grow well in soil that is too wet. If they are exposed to frost, they will not survive. The plant will not survive long in temperatures below 40°F, but will do well in temperatures up to 90°F. The key to getting them to flower is to provide enough sun. A window with the southern exposure will provide enough sun for some plants to flourish, and bloom, but in my experience, even such a window does not always work for such plants.

Desert rose plants grow best in dry conditions so you want a sandy, gritty potting mix that drains very fast. There are some good commercial brands available, designed especially for cacti and other succulents. Whitney Farms, and Nature’s are two of the brands that I read on the Internet are very good.

Overwatering will kill a desert rose plant quickly. Therefore, it is very important not to overwater them.   They are succulents but are used to rainy periods during which they grow, followed by a dormant, dry period. Match your watering practices to these needs for best success. Keep soil moderately moist in spring and summer, but reduce watering in fall and especially winter when the plant is dormant. Fertilize with a dilution by half of a 20-20-20 liquid plant food once per month when the plant is actively growing. Do not feed the desert rose during winter. The most common pests are scale, mealybugs and spider mites. Use cotton balls soaked in alcohol to wipe away these insects.

Be careful, as desert rose plants are in the Dogbane family, with all species producing a poisonous sap that can irritate skin and mucous membranes. If you need to prune them, be sure to wear protective gloves.

I got the information above from the website below.

Desert Rose Plant Info: Caring For Desert Rose Plants

A close up of my Ster Van Holland Amaryllis

Below, is a close up of my Ster Van Holland amaryllis. This one is nice because the photographer was able to do it in such a way that the background is not visible. This photograph was taken yesterday. The blooms on the plant are still there, but the blooms on the Pink Surprise have died. The blooms on my on my amaryllis plants do not last long at all. This one has lasted longer than usual. I heard that if you cut the stems, and put them in water, the blooms last longer, but I’ve never tried it.

 

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