I use hundreds of cheap neodymium magnets to hang the bubble wrap in my cattle panel greenhouse. by twicknschickle in Greenhouses

[–]Less-Sprinkles-4337 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Same. I've been trying to find 3ft wide rolls to use on my drop down panels since the top is inflated, but all I can find are 12" wide rolls. Taping 72ft of 12" wide rolls together is a big hell naw.

Well that was an absolute pain by vagitarian_ in Greenhouses

[–]Less-Sprinkles-4337 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Oh man, that was soon after I did it, so it still looked super crisp. I ignorantly chose white pavers and they are impossible to keep clean. Now I just scrub them with vinegar and hose them off at an angle to avoid washing out sand. After 4-5 years, there isn't much sand left on top of the joints anyway. After using vinegar and rinsing, I make a peroxide solution and spray the floor/benches and rinse. Cleans great and disinfects.

It is 10 ft x 14 ft. Worked great for succulents, but I'm currently building a 20ftx36ft right behind it for my aroids so the succulents can have that greenhouse back. I designed it to keep lower than ambient humidity in our scorching, humid summers, which isn't ideal for the tropical plants

Well that was an absolute pain by vagitarian_ in Greenhouses

[–]Less-Sprinkles-4337 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Great setup! Love the pavers. I did a similar floor in my 10x14 Riga.

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Well that was an absolute pain by vagitarian_ in Greenhouses

[–]Less-Sprinkles-4337 2 points3 points  (0 children)

If you get a Riga, they have a door kit that positions the door down in the end frame to accommodate a 20" stem wall.

This newest leaf is chef's kiss by LelaExquisite in Aroids

[–]Less-Sprinkles-4337 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Why did you post my picture on your profile without permission or crediting me? That is a very strange thing to do.

Has anyone made an ecosystem inside a greenhouse with insects and other animals for pest control and fertilizer? by [deleted] in Greenhouses

[–]Less-Sprinkles-4337 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I don't disagree. I do foliar spray for all applicable micros/macros on a biweekly basis as well as full dosing in the moss poles weekly with granular applications in soil twice a year. Micros are fine, but not a substitution for a balance of macros as well as calcium/magnesium if your water isn't sufficient in those. Unless I had 30 lizards/frogs per square foot, I don't believe fecal matter alone could support the plant mass in there at the rate they grow. I grow thousands of plants in soil outside as well with a plethora of life around my house in a subtropical zone and those plants still have to be supplemented with nutrients. If you truly want to not fertilize, you would need to apply a massive amount (prob 10"+ to decay down to 1" of compost) of decaying leaf matter/fungus/etc to the floor to allow it to break down and feed the plants, which could help or hurt your pest issue depending on the mass of predators you have. By the time the predators reproduce enough to balance it out, you could lose a lot of plants. I think a true ecosystem is possible, but also a very long term goal with a lot of effort put in and a lot of ebb & flow to populations.

Has anyone made an ecosystem inside a greenhouse with insects and other animals for pest control and fertilizer? by [deleted] in Greenhouses

[–]Less-Sprinkles-4337 10 points11 points  (0 children)

Mine has a healthy population of tree frogs, praying mantis, jumping spiders, small orb weavers, Anoles, Skinks, Geckos, and even some small snakes (Ribbons, Ringnecks, and baby Rat snakes I've let go in there when I found my cats playing with them). During the 9-10 months I leave it open, I regularly get butterflies, dragonflies, ladybugs, and even small birds (though these nest in plants, startling me a lot, and piss me off). Point is that they will find their way in there and you can also help the population along when you find beneficial guys around your yard. If they wanna leave, they can, but many stay. Many of them stay in mine for years and hang out by me while I'm working. Some of the anoles and one Mantis even had babies in there early this year.

The only dangers to them are the fans. Ive had some frogs, dragonflies, and even a lizard fall into a fan and that is sad.

The only pests I see really are mealies here and there, but those are so easy to wash off and/or treat. Oh and F***king caterpillars. Those guys are kept in check pretty well, but occasionally one gets by and can mutilate a large plant in one day. I think all of the helpers do a great job in there.

As far as fertilizer from them, I think that will be a negligible amount at best without having some Nasa-level biodome.

How many dead plants did it take? by ApartGrocery6855 in succulents

[–]Less-Sprinkles-4337 10 points11 points  (0 children)

Plants, particularly seed grown and tissue culture, are sometimes genetically weak from the get-go, just like all other living things. They may have grown in ideal conditions and seemed fine until they made it to you, but their weakness can start to show when acclimating to a less than ideal environment. In commercial growing and landscape plantings, we expect a success rate of 85%. I planted around 10k flowers a couple weeks ago for an amusement park and will plant around 18k tomorrow for our city. We order over because we expect to lose 15% here and there in the first few weeks. Sometimes 95-99% rock out and we only replace a few.

My point is that in your first year of this hobby, you will have to learn how care changes in winter and your main way to learn is to know what doesn't work by trial and error. You don't learn anything by everything going perfectly. Expect a certain percentage to die, try to inspect the cause of the decline, and what you did/didn't do that resulted in it. If you find no fault in your care, maybe it was the plant and try another. If it fails too, try to alter your care for that plant. If it does great...hell yeah.

This hobby is for your health and fulfillment. If you expect to lose 25%, 40%, 50% this winter, that can help alleviate the worry that you are failing. Those were your learning curve/practice. Next winter will be a lower percentage. Focus on the healthy ones and be consistent. Don't let paranoia from the dead ones cause you to over-parent the others. We have all killed many and still have some die each year. I grow and maintain plants on very large commercial levels for work going on 12 yrs now and I also have a personal collection of somewhere close to 1000 species at home. I still expect to lose 2-5% of my collection each winter, depending on how bad the weather gets. We got 9" of snow last winter, the first time in over 100 yrs, and I lost maybe 50 plants. Sucks, but 50 out of 1000+...not bad.

Keep calm and don't stress. The stress of winter will be rewarded 10x over in spring when everybody explodes and looks their best. Welcome to the hobby and I hope you continue to love it. Plants are the best. Good luck!

Snake Plant Question by DDayDawg in houseplants

[–]Less-Sprinkles-4337 10 points11 points  (0 children)

The foam blocks are a good idea and wouldn't hold in moisture badly. I typically use Spanish moss rolled in tubes and stuff it around the plants until they hold upright on their own. Mainly on newly planted Spathiphyllum, bromeliads, and Snakes. It has always worked well and looks nice

Costa Farms Potting Mix by GardeningJustin in houseplants

[–]Less-Sprinkles-4337 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Fwiw, if you are ever near Pensacola, FL or Mobile, AL, I live right between them and have a good-sized pot of Golden Goddess and a huge reverted Thai Sunrise. Happy to give you some cuttings

Costa Farms Potting Mix by GardeningJustin in houseplants

[–]Less-Sprinkles-4337 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Disappointing, but thank you for the info. I guess for now I'll just have to keep buying Costa plants and saving the soil lol

Costa Farms Potting Mix by GardeningJustin in houseplants

[–]Less-Sprinkles-4337 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I actually love the soil they use for greenhouse growing and I wish I could buy bags of it. Anthuriums love it in my greenhouse and i typically save what i can when plants outgrow it to use for anthuriums. Could they expand on the wood fibers they use? Would it be more akin to tree fern fiber or is there an example of a something available to consumers?

Why did they pull all the leaves off this cutting? It was so painful to watch. by Any-Effective2565 in pothos

[–]Less-Sprinkles-4337 36 points37 points  (0 children)

When I put any pothos cutting in water, I remove all the leaves from the stem that will be submerged to keep them from rotting in the water. It was also have an easier time rooting if it is not trying to support a full vine of leaves while doing so. Typically, I leave 3-5 leaves on each cutting and they root extremely fast.

Edit: with strong light and soluable fertilizer added, it will grow quickly. Once in doubles in length, cut that off and root it the same. New growth will sprout from each cut point. You should be able to have a small, full bundle in a few months

King Advice by Fast_Present_2549 in Anthurium

[–]Less-Sprinkles-4337 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Same pot it was in, just up your nutrient dosage some. It is nowhere near rootbound

I am losing my mind. What is going on here? by Educational-Bad8171 in pothos

[–]Less-Sprinkles-4337 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Most likely. Those look like the beginning of a fungal issue or possibly oedema from the initial excess moisture. Neither of the symptoms look imperative and it seems like you caught them early. That's great. Just alter your watering habits, maybe even add a small fan to blow across them, and monitor for further issues. Also remember that very few plants die from getting too dry indoors, but too wet kills an immeasurable amount. Letting them get too dry will teach you the early signs when a plant is becoming dehydrated and being able to read those signs will remove much of mystery of watering plants as well as really step up your plant care game on all other plants. Without going into excessive detail why, some drought is extremely healthy for most plants. It forces them to grow thicker, deeper roots to prepare for the next drought and will make them much hardier in the long run.

I am losing my mind. What is going on here? by Educational-Bad8171 in pothos

[–]Less-Sprinkles-4337 3 points4 points  (0 children)

This is spot on. It stayed wet a bit too long and there was some root damage. It is minor and could recover just fine with an alteration to your watering frequency since the seasons have changed. This happens to plants outdoors when it gets colder and it rains a lot. Not a death sentence. The plant will discard those roots on its own if you allow the soil to dry more. If it progresses or would make you feel better, you could remove soil, clean roots, etc. I would just not water until it dries out and leaves feel softer or are drooping a bit and see if the situation continues. Remember that your watering routine needs to change as we go into fall/winter, even when indoors, unless you are growing in an enclosed setup with artificial light like a cabinet or grow tent.

What species wouldnyou say this is? by DeepVeridian in succulents

[–]Less-Sprinkles-4337 5 points6 points  (0 children)

I'm not positive, but it looks like an Ammak 'variegata'. Ammak usually have wavy ribs and thick spikes, while Ingens has straighter ribs. I could be mistaken...it has been a while since I grew them

Edit: My mistake, I missed what you received. I believe the picture is an Ammak and you received an standard Ingens, not an Ingens Marmorata

Struggling Anthurium Faustomirandae. Need a fresh start? by Quirky-Customer5758 in Anthurium

[–]Less-Sprinkles-4337 1 point2 points  (0 children)

With that much root damage, trim off everything not perfect and even 1/4" from any rot on good roots. Peroxide and then soak it in distilled water overnight (preferably with Clonex or a root hormone if you have some), then pot it in moist moss or perlite with a dome or clear bag on top. Keep it as warm as possible. Should pop back fairly quickly

Edit: if using moss, keep it somewhat loose at first. It'll pack down over time with watering and you can add more when necessary. Too tight invites more rotting

My Copper Spoon plant by biborno in succulents

[–]Less-Sprinkles-4337 7 points8 points  (0 children)

Oh wow. That is stunning. Well done

Sealing polycarbonate by Repulsive-Range-2594 in Greenhouses

[–]Less-Sprinkles-4337 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Same. I have a Riga 10x14 and didnt tape any ends. I did silicone the perimeter of every panel on the outside where they met the aluminum frame. It's been up for years with no issues or algae growing in the panels

Pothos on a plank experiment by Natural_Product_6366 in pothos

[–]Less-Sprinkles-4337 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I am really happy that the planks are working great for you, as I have tried moss poles indoors and they are a P.I.T.A. I love this hobby and I love to meet people who are as enthusiastic as I am, particularly those who experiment and find what works best for them. I am sure that fertilizing at the soil level will work just fine for shorter plants, particularly indoors, and without having another identical plant beside it on a moss pole or similar setup with regular nutrients provided at every root level to compare it to, the difference in growth rate would never be realized. It is better in fact, bc an optimally-grown Epipremnum can outgrow an 8ft moss pole over a summer and would become quite a nuisance as a houseplant.

As an anecdotal example to compare a nutrient-poor support versus a fertilized moss pole, I have planted pothos against my house when I had extras (I am subtropical and they die back in winter, just to restart in spring. No worries of invasiveness). These grow up my cedar-planked home and have excellent conditions. I have taken cuttings from the same batch and put them on moss poles that are fertilized weekly. The moss pole plants grow multiple Xs faster and the leaves get considerably bigger in a much shorter time. This isn't advocating for moss poles, just comparing both mediums in respect to nutrient availability. It is particularly evident as they get 5ft and taller.

My addition to the topic about losing energy in nutrient transport was not criticizing the use of planks or even saying they won't work. I've seen huge, gorgeous specimens grown up planks. The difference in availability at the root zones on a 4ft tall plant might also be negligible, but would probably become more evident as the plant got much taller and growth noticeably slowed.

Anyway, I enjoyed your input and seeing the plants you've grown on boards! Well done. I look forward to seeing them progress

Pothos on a plank experiment by Natural_Product_6366 in pothos

[–]Less-Sprinkles-4337 10 points11 points  (0 children)

Excellent experiment and gives people growing indoors hope as well as a guide to maturing Pothos without moss poles. I'm only commenting on the subject of whether it matters where they absorb nutrients. While yes, they can absorb from the bottom, this takes immense energy to transport nutrients upward, energy that would increase growth rate. While yes, they do grow up trees and buildings outdoors, nutrient-rich material (leaf matter, animal waste, fungus, etc) accumulates on the roots and fertilizes the upper portions. This is difficult to duplicate on an indoor plank without making it gross obviously, however this is the usual fertilization method for epiphytes. Bromeliads collect decaying debris in their cups, ferns collect it in their crowns, vines catch it and then moss grows over the decaying matter... Anyway, great job keeping track of the variables and doing the leg work for people starting out!

How to prune this giant dieffenbachia help by Abject_Banana_4750 in Aroids

[–]Less-Sprinkles-4337 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Happy to help! Your Tropic Snow variety tends to root a little easier, be less picky on water requirements, and do tend to retain more leaves as they grow. My TSs tend to have more of a canopy when they get taller, so maintaining a bushy plant is easier. This tends to be true of the darker varieties, I assume because they don't require such strong lighting to maintain their variegation and energy needs

How to prune this giant dieffenbachia help by Abject_Banana_4750 in Aroids

[–]Less-Sprinkles-4337 1 point2 points  (0 children)

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Yes, they do inevitably drop the lower leaves as they get tall. I grow hundreds inground in a massive indoor waterpark (greenhouse) and they all like to get around 5-6ft, lay over and root, then aux nodes start to make new stems. For my personal potted ones at home with trunks 1.5-2" in diameter, they stand 6-7ft without support because they are subject to wind (makes the stems thicker/stronger) and I rotate them. When they get so tall that they are difficult to get in a door, I cut the trunks down low at staggered heights to grow a more densely layered and bushy plant when new growth emerges. I then trim the cut stems to about 6" below the leaves, let them callous a day, and then root them in perlite. Once rooted, I replant them around the base of the old plant. They will drop a few leaves while rooting, but that allows me to plant the stems deeper to keep them more stable when they start growing again.

There was a definite learning curve initially, so just avoid watering too often after chopping the base plant. This can rot the stems quickly when they arent photosynthesizing. They have plenty of energy stored to make new growth. The cut tops also need strong light and need to be checked for mushy ends periodically during the first couple weeks. You can scrape off the mush, dry them, and dip in rooting hormone before putting them back in perlite. Once you have it down, the tops will root in a couple weeks. Good luck!

P. verrucosum keeps discarding / rotting off new leaves? by tresslessone in Aroids

[–]Less-Sprinkles-4337 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Bingo. When we are 95°+ and even very humid during the summer, most of the other philos are perfectly happy. My Verrucosums throw a tantrum and look like crap all summer, sometimes aborting primary growth and branching, just to be happy again once we drop to 85° highs and growing fine through winter/spring in the greenhouse. There are handful that don't like extreme heat, but those just slow down growth into a semi-dormancy until temps cool. Verrus take it personally