Ep. 08: Plants Pt. 2

If you missed last week’s episode, definitely check out Plants Pt. 1 before jumping into this one!

After our first adventure with Miracle Gro, we started using Espoma Organic Cactus Mix, mixed with a generous helping of their perlite (puffed up rocks that increase drainage). We also fertilize in the summer with their organic liquid fertilizer.

The Londoner riding the bus with her potting mix is Alice Vincent, who has a plant care book How to Grow Stuff isn’t at the library.

Darryl, who runs Houseplant Journal, has the best approach to watering, which he explains here.

This is our grow light setup. It includes this lamp from Target, this full-spectrum CFL lightbulb, and this timer.

Now there are full-spectrum LEDs that use less energy than CFL bulbs. You could probably buy one from Amazon and stick it in the same setup we have. There are also companies like Soltech Solutions and Modern Sprout, that make grow light setups.

Plants that need the light most live on the window sill near the grow light so they’re always under it when it’s on. Plants that live elsewhere come to the plant party on the coffee table while the grow light is on and then get put back during the day.

Our snake plant is going strong despite it’s no-light conditions (for interested plant nerds: about one hour of indirect eastern light per day in the summer, otherwise, just the overhead LED when we’re in the room).

We solve all of our pest problems with neem oil. It’s a much better solution for us than chemical pesticides, which haven’t really seemed to work.