Plant Tips
Plant Tip: Try Daylight Bulbs
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- Published on Tuesday, August 05 2014 06:47
- Written by BCG Editors
If you want to grow plants indoors and don't have a nice, sunny, south-facing window, try using daylight bulbs. Get a cheap work lamp or two that can clamp onto something nearby (you can also clamp it to a tall stick stuck into your plant's container). Put a daylight bulb into the lamp (which mimics sunlight and will provide the plant with enough energy to grow), and give it 8 to 10 hours of light a day. Just make sure the lamp isn't too close to the container plant (or it will burn the leaves) and that you don't overwater the plants. Indoor plants are easy to overwater, which will result in fungus gnats, mushrooms and possibly plant disease.
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Plant Tip: Harvest Beans Two Different Ways
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- Published on Tuesday, July 29 2014 07:45
- Written by BCG Editors
Beans can be harvested when they're green, plump and 4 to 6 inches long, or after they've completely dried up. To harvest the plump green beans, check if they're ready by squeezing the pod. If they are firm, open one to make sure the beans are mature and filling the pod, then cut off each bean pod. If you want pinto beans, however, wait until the plant dies and let the green beans dry. When they've turned from plump green pods to yellow, stop watering the plant and wait for them to completely dry out. Once they're dry, pick them off of the plant and crack them open. Inside each pod, a few pinto beans will be waiting for you!
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Plant Tip: Don't Splash Water on Plant Leaves
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- Published on Tuesday, July 22 2014 06:38
- Written by BCG Editors
Pay attention to not splash water on leaves when watering your container plants. The water may evaporate off the leaf and dry out the plant, but that's not the big worry. If you splash water from the potting soil up onto a plant leaf, fungus from the soil may spread disease to the plant via its leaf tissue. If you find any fungus or mold on plant leaves, remove the affected leaves right away to keep the disease from spreading to the rest of the plant. If a diseased plant has inhabited your potting soil, there are ways to decontaminate the soil so you can use it in the future. Bake a thin layer of soil covered with aluminum foil in a 180-degree oven for 30 minutes.
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