it all started with a daisy: Meyer lemon

One day we found that our basement apartment had grown a little stuffy. After reading that Gerbera daisies are excellent at cleaning the air, we promptly purchased a yellow daisy for the corner of the room... and then a pink daisy... and then a majesty palm... and then some ivy... and so on until we had two rooms full of plants including fruits, vegetables, herbs and flowers growing in soil, soilless mixes, hydroponics, and aquaponics.

This is the story of our garden and how it grew in a basement apartment from a single yellow daisy.

Showing posts with label Meyer lemon. Show all posts

Tuesday, February 18, 2014

Citrus Trees

New leaves emerging from the dwarf clementine tree. This marks the end of a tense period of leaf drop and twig die back that I was sure would leave the clementine in the same state as the Meyer lemon below. I attribute its resurrection to the transplant into gritty mix soilless growing media. A link to the exact mix can be found on the resources page.

The Meyer lemon 'twig' now appears to be dying as well (note the discoloration). I had hoped it would bounce back after being put in Al's gritty mix like the clementine did and I thought I noticed some new growth, but most likely I will be buying a new lemon. Luckily the local garden center just got a huge shipment of what look like 5 year old citrus trees complete with fragrant flowers and setting fruit.

Saturday, February 8, 2014

Hydro & Soilless Plants

2-3 foot (1 month old) Yellow pear cherry Tomatoes in deep water culture hydroponics. First blooms about to open. Soon tomatoes cages will be required.

Dwarf clementine and leafless Meyer lemon in soilless gritty mix with drip irrigation on a timer. I am hoping that the lemon with put out new leaves soon now that its in a warmer place with more reliable light, water, and nutrient supplies.

One of zucchini and spaghetti squash starters nearly ready for hydro. They will be trained up a trellis against the wall to save space. Watermelon seeds are coming and will be done in the same manner.

A sucker from the lemon that we are trying to root. It should be a palmello.

Strawberries, pink lemonade blueberry plant, and frost bitten mulberry tree under intense grow light (camera trying to compensate). Blueberry and mulberry will go into soilless setups this weekend after a trip to the local hydro store.

Close up of the pink lemonade blueberry plant with its new green leaves emerging!