Dear Shetur: Thank you for the detailed explanation... I need to find a source of coco peat... a couple of years ago, visiting an old junior school teacher for nostalgia, her family took us on a tour of nearby lakes in deep villages of Bengal, there was a shed where some one was making coconut fibre rassi, so had a lot of small grainy peat, brought it washed it dried it etc and used it but my plants did not like it.
Have not found a source here locally, in Gujarat my friends tell me they are able to buy 25 lbs bricks that they break off, soak in h2o and use it.. I liked your use of the mom's grocery basket, pink too for a planter... At the horticulture garden this year two stalls were selling coconut fibres sewn thru to make liners for hanging baskets... that would be better than the plastic saucers they are selling in nurseries... Thanks again Usha di ======= On Thu, Apr 12, 2012 at 5:08 PM, shetur <[email protected]> wrote: > Usha di, you have keen eye!!! > > Yes, the space crunch leads one to interesting-ness and innovation.:) > > More than the load it was space crunch which led me to use & recycle > materials around me. Only some 7-8 months ago I would settle for nothing > less than good old terracotta pots but now I happily use anything and > everything which fits into my very narrow space. > > 1: can one keep these plants in plastic bags for long? > > When I look at my happy plants I am forced to say YES. > > I now worry about what mix I put into the plastic bag (bottle/jar) rather > than in what I am putting my plant. For me soil+coco peat+ vermi compost > equal parts work wonders. > > And I am finicky about drainage and watering my plants. Never overwater! > > For me the question now is how long the plastic bags would last. I just > had first casualty in 7-8 months, a bird pecked a hole in my pippali’s > thick bag and without much disturbing the roots I put the plant back in a > new one! > > 2: what is that long tall almost translucent planter in the back right > side? > > ok that is just a 2 liter bottle cut from bottom, yes for roots. And yes I > have few other plants in 3-4 plastic bags put together as a single pot, > just the way you thought! > > This way not only I am able to use my narrow space but able use it > vertically too by hanging the plants. > > Happy ‘small balcony’ gardening! > > Thanks & regards. > > -- Usha di ===========
