GREENHOUSE PROPAGATING
Actually, I have two propagating cases in our large greenhouse. One is completely enclosed in plastic to keep the humid air even more humid. It has three or four inches of perlite on top of an electric coil to give it gentle bottom heat. The cuttings are inserted in rows so they are easier to manage and remove when their time comes. Here I root all cuttings from delicate plants and those with large leaves that need high humidity to keep from wilting and drying while roots are forming. My little plastic boxes of difficult seeds are also set there, where they will keep warm and protected.
The second propagating box is wide open—merely an extra-large flat filled with sharp sand. Here I root the more rugged, or succulent, plants, such as cacti, geraniums, semperflorens begonias, and anything that may rot if kept too moist. Indeed, the sand may dry out occasionally, but they don’t seem to mind. Both cases are shaded by some old bamboo blinds.
(All of the window-garden plants listed in Chapter 6 do very well in greenhouses. See also the forced bulbs in Chapter 13.)
CHAPTER 6
MINIATURE HOUSE AND GREENHOUSE PLANTS
My gardening friends certainly vary as to ability, inclination, talent, and aptitude. At one extreme there is Aunt Minnie, whose green thumb injects magic into every pot and for whom every plant grows to buxom, blooming perfection. At the other end of the scale there is the poor soul who tries so hard but can’t keep a plant alive no matter what she does. Why do some plant-lovers never fail, while others never seem to win? There are a number of reasons, including a difference in growing conditions, variations in the types of plants, and even the amount of practical experience or common sense Aunt Minnie is blessed with.
The truth is that there is no single, incontrovertible secret to success, but rather a combination of many factors of equal, or nearly equal, importance. The best soil in the world won’t make plants flower unless temperature and sunlight are right. The frequency with which you water plants should be affected by indoor temperature, humidity, and pot size. And don’t think it is Aunt Minnie’s favorite brand of fertilizer alone that keep her plants in good health.
In our house, and in countless others, it is not possible to make growing conditions as perfect as a plant might wish; but we try to come as close as we can, and find most plants are willing and able to make concessions. One more thing we do. We learn all about each plant’s natural home—desert, steamy jungle, Mexican mountainside—so we’ll know what combination of conditions it likes best.