Subject: "Potting" plants

From: [email-masked] (Birdmommy)
Date: 13 Mar 1995 10:57:45 -0500

Ok, stupid question time, my 7 year old asked me and *I* don't know the
answer!  (Gee, Mom really DOESN'T know everything)  can you (has anyone)
ever grown tomatoes, peppers etc. INSIDE in containers in the winter?  Can
it be done?  Will it work? Can we have fresh Tomatoes and Peppers all
winter?

molli
Denver zone 5

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From: [email-masked] (Karen Fletcher)
Date: 14 Mar 1995 14:49:33 GMT

Birdmommy ([email-masked]) wrote:
: Ok, stupid question time, my 7 year old asked me and *I* don't know the
: answer!  (Gee, Mom really DOESN'T know everything)  can you (has anyone)
: ever grown tomatoes, peppers etc. INSIDE in containers in the winter?  Can
: it be done?  Will it work? Can we have fresh Tomatoes and Peppers all
: winter?

Birdmommy?  What a great name.

Yes, it can be done.  No, it can't be done cheaply unless you have a real
sunroom (glass ceiling) or a heated greenhouse already.  Tomatoes and
peppers are tropical plants that need a warm place with LOTS of sunlight
to grow sturdy and thrive.  It simply can't be done properly with
articifial light unless you get into the high (expensive) end with HID
lighting.  Flourescents can support the seedling to a certain size, but
past that, there simply isn't enough light energy to bring the plants up
right.  

Because of the way the human eye perceives brightness levels, we don't
realize that a bright, sunny day can be 10,000 times brighter than our
homes indoors under artificial lighting.

Karen Fletcher                                     [email-masked]
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From: [email-masked] (Christine Owens)
Date: 15 Mar 1995 11:53:14 GMT

>it be done?  Will it work? Can we have fresh Tomatoes and Peppers all

If you are willing to devote enough money and effort to the 
project.  The one year that my husband and I had a greenhouse,
we grew tomatoes, peppers, and summer melons all year long.
You would not believe the power bill for the grow lights and
heaters!  Both tomatoes and peppers need warmth, a LOT of
light, and water.  You will also have to hand-pollinate unless
you keep an indoor beehive, too.

Chris Owens

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From: [email-masked] (Birdmommy)
Date: 15 Mar 1995 11:05:09 -0500

Ok, how does a bedroom with 2 shoplight fixtures with 2 vitalite bulbs
each and a steady temp of around 75-80 sound? (we grow African Violets and
hibiscus in there too)  I also have a small paint brush to hand pollinate
since my cats would look on a bee hive as a snack.  We are going to give
the "bush" tomato (Micro Tom, Tiny Tom something like that) a shot and
probably a pepper or two and some lettuce.

molli
denver zone 5

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From: [email-masked] (Dick Gilman)
Date: Wed, 22 Mar 1995 22:51:50 GMT

Their is a kitty litter called kitty green or something like that
it is pure 100% nitrogen!!!!  Also you can get if you go to a farm
supply store like agway or southern states but a farm supply store
would carry it.!!!  I have used kitty green and it did not really
work I think I had too much "brown" compost in the tumbler!!!

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From: [email-masked] (Christine Owens)
Date: 22 Mar 1995 01:27:07 GMT

In <[email-masked]> Jeff Stier <[email-masked]> writes: 

>
>I have been trouble getting nitrogen materials this time of year....
>I even called the Newark NJ Anheiser Buch brewery to see if they had used 
>hops avaialble..but they weren't at all helpfull.
>
>Yeast is too expensive to add- I do have a large pile..
>I only have so many kitchen cuttings or weeds....
>Any other ideas?
>I was thinking of going to the fish market to get their garbage- but THAT 
>is where I  draw the line.
>
>What do you suggest?
>
>
>
>How about fertilizer- 10-15-10, or something like that- would that get it 
>going?
>
>
>******************************************************************************
>Jeff Stier
>[email-masked]
>!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
>
>
>
A little yeast will go a LONG way!  Since it is a living organism, 
a single packet will cheerfully expand to break down all of the
available nutrients.  Dissolve a packet of yeast in a cup of  warm
water with a tablespoon of sugar.  When it is "working" (foam
will develop -- takes 10 - 15 minutes) sprinkle it on your compost
pile.

Chris Owens

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From: [email-masked] (Rob Thacker)
Date: 23 Mar 1995 14:33:29 GMT

In article <[email-masked]>, Dick Gilman <[email-masked]> wrote:
>it is pure 100% nitrogen!!!!

Wow... that would be a highly reactive form of gaseous atomic nitrogen ions!
Poor kitties... probably turns them into green litter!  Well, I guess
this stuff could also be used to get cats out of the garden.

;-)

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From: [email-masked] (Dick Gilman)
Date: Wed, 22 Mar 1995 22:51:50 GMT

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From: [email-masked] (Christine Owens)
Date: 22 Mar 1995 01:27:07 GMT

Chris Owens

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From: [email-masked] (Rob Thacker)
Date: 23 Mar 1995 14:33:29 GMT

;-)