(Part 3) Top products from r/IndoorGarden

Find yourself a large enough tub/barrel/container to hold 4 or 5 of the buckets of soil. Add some of this and some of this and mix well. Add in some Worm Castings and mix well. Distribute the soil back into your 5 gallon buckets and plant your seeds/seedlings. Azos and Mykos "rejuvenate" soil and help to invigorate root development. The worm castings are rich in nutrients and are possibly the best natural fertilizer there is.

You may also want to find some organic liquid nutrients to help your plants grow/flower. There are many excellent choices for nutrients out there that fit every need and budget.

Good Luck!

If you can spend a few bucks, a light meter will help you get an idea of how much more you need: http://smile.amazon.com/Dr-Meter-Light-LX1010B-display-Luxmeter/dp/B004K0A7I6

My 2'x4' indoor setup has six T8 fluorescents and is pumping out about 12,000 lux. Different plants require different amounts, but I suspect you're not going to get much in the way of results if you are below about 5,000 lux. It's hard to have too much light.

Fluorescents are fine but you sometimes need several of them. Big tube fluorescent bulbs (T12) are the least efficient, T8 is better and T5 is best though initial price goes up with those. Generally, just a few decent T8 warm-white bulbs should be enough.

LED lights are coming down in price while rapidly improving in quality. My next lighting upgrade will probably be something along the lines of these models: http://smile.amazon.com/Apollo-Horticulture-GL100LED-Spectrum-Growing/dp/B00FGG1HDM

You can also wrap some mylar around your growing area to make sure any escaping light gets reflected back in and the plants get as much as possible. This is the cheapest way to increase your light absorption though it obviously is limited by the lights in the first place.

Things get more complicated if you're growing flowering plants (they are more particular about requiring certain wavelengths). But for growing garden herbs, edible greens, things like that, you can keep things pretty simple.

I'm no expert, but it seems like other than the small pot that you mentioned, things are fine. I would recommend the book Homegrown Tea by Cassie Liversidge as it details the proper conditions for growing tea in a container. I'm hoping to grow tea myself one day, which is why I picked it up.

Yep, you're correct. They're moss poles for the plants to climb and they're made of sphagnum moss so the air roots can grow into them and grab on.

I have 2 kinds, the shorter ones are these nice ones from Mosser Lee https://www.amazon.com/Mosser-Lee-ML1010-Totem-Support/dp/B000UOCYFA

They're like loose sphagnum moss inside a net fabric on a metal pole frame. They hold moisture really well.

The other ones are ones I made from wrapping loose sphagnum moss around a thin PVC pipe and securing it in place with fishing line. They were cheaper to make but definitely not as nice and don't hold water as well.

It encourages Monstera deliciosa to grow more vertical instead of sprawling and supposedly Monstera adansonii will make larger leaves if you give it something to climb.

It's called Kokedama. Instead of a pot or a hanging basket, I wrap the roots and soil in a thick layer of long fiber sphagnum moss, then I bind the whole thing together with twine.
According to a book I read, the thick compressed sphagnum actually retains water better than a terra-cotta pot, which is known to sort of wick moisture away from the roots and soil. (I take that factoid with a grain of salt, but here I am having made 20 of them)
Whenever the ball feels dry and sort of light, I soak it in a bucket of water, either until the ball sinks, or about 10 minutes, whichever comes first.
If you want to learn more, I was given this book for my birthday and I highly recommend it. It taught me in one day.

I use something like this and my plants love it! Neptune's Harvest

Warning: its REALLY stinky...

Anything you guys recommend? I've seen a ton, but not sure if I should be looking for anything specific for inside the greenhouse.

Something like this:
http://www.amazon.com/AcuRite-00325-Comfort-Monitor-Black/dp/B004K8RF10/ref=sr_1_2?rps=1&ie=UTF8&qid=1457371771&sr=8-2&keywords=thermometer+humidity&refinements=p_85%3A2470955011%2Cp_72%3A2661618011

????

That I can do! I will tell you though that i'm still very new at this so my approach was/is kind of weird. Before the Arduino I bought a remote controlled outlet kit and had fun turning my lamp on and off for awhile.

But then I got curious and busted the remote open. And found it had a little transmitter that was talking to the outlet converter that i plugged my lamp into. Click the switch, it sends a signal to the converter, lamp goes on. Click it again, it sends another, lamp goes off. After a little digging I found the frequency needed to talk to the converter (315 Mhz) and ordered a 315Mhz transmitter and receiver kit which would plug directly into the arduino. Here's where the coding comes in.

I now was on the right frequency but I still needed to know a few more things about the converter so I could talk to it ( send it a signal). BUT because I had the receiver I could listen to the communication the old remote made with the converter. So basically my first code used the receiver to eavesdrop on a private talk to hear a password. Then all I needed to do was create a loop that sends the signal with the transmitter to turn it on and off after a given time.

void setup(){
Serial.begin(9600);
mySwitch.enableTransmit(7);
mySwitch.setProtocol(2);
mySwitch.setPulseLength(800);
}
void loop(){
mySwitch.send(13330,15);
delay(64800000);

mySwitch.send(13322,15);//signal to turn off
delay(21600000);// ms..converted to 6 hrs
}

I had it recently as well... screw Home Depot's gardening section.

1. Gnat sticks... sticky yellow traps, stick in your plants to catch some adults.. less adults = less babies. Cheap quick way to knock them down a peg: https://www.amazon.com/Springstar-S5333-BioCare-Gnat-Stix/dp/B000NCUTS8
   
   
2. Minimal watering . Let the soil dry out between waterings. They need moist soil to grow.
   
   
3. Consider replacing the top inche or two of top soil once the strips have been out for a few days. Will get rid of lots of eggs and disrupt their lifecycle. Give you a chance to get things under control.
   
   I ended up doing #3 a second time but with this stuff in the replacement mix:
   https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000MRD5JO/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
   
   Not cheap, but didn't want chemicals... it worked very well.

I'll try to plant all of these great suggestions, but for now, I want to try out the Paperwhite Narcissus and Sunflower. Are these what I should get?

Soil Mix

Fertilizer

Paperwhite

Sunflower

I'm not sure about container though, are water bottles big enough for these? One bulb in a water bottle for the Paperwhite (so 5 water bottles), and one sunflower seed in another bottle? I have to get a water bottle size because I don't have much space. If these flowers aren't small enough for these bottles, what on here that people have suggested thus far can be used instead?

I use a simple red/blue bulb, similar to this, I got mine from aliexpress for about €1 - €2. Theres also more natural looking full spectrum LED's, they are (slightly?) better, but also more expensive.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Miracle-Gro-Purpose-Continuous-Release-Shaker/dp/B000TAUI1M - This is the stuff im on about - I put about 5 grains in each plant (probably not enough but better to go light than heavy).

In my experience plants appreciate a repot once a year or so, more than than being fertilised in a small pot.

Not OP: You'll need

https://www.amazon.com/KINGSO-Industrial-Floating-Hardware-Farmhouse/dp/B071X6KLK9

One shelf board, I'd recommend hardwood vs. MDF board as MDF board will blister when water sets on it.

Use something like this with a small spout https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ward-GN357WGN-Litre-Woodstock-Watering/dp/B004V34AJO/

The soil is potting soil and coconut husk mix.. and the lighting is a bulb I replaced the normal sink light: 15 Watt Full Spectrum Fluorescent ..

Yeah, I have a problem with fungi on many of my plants.. I guess I need to ease up on the water..

BTW, was searching for plant memes and found this older post about a literal plant bible which seems highly praised.

Edit: wrong link

This one is 57 inches, so just under 5 feet.

https://www.amazon.com/Armarkat-B5301-53-Inch-Tree-Ivory/dp/B003BYQ100/ref=zg_bs_2975248011_1?_encoding=UTF8&refRID=60YC130XGHZ5GXH96DN4&th=1

Claber 8053 Oasis 4-Programs/20 Plants Garden Automatic Drip Watering System https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000U5YFR4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_mwT6CbAT4CRRH

5 seconds googling. Buy 20.

I did not have studs by the window so i used anchors, which came with the metal pipes (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B071X6KLK9/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_zu1KDb13EZBSG).

This is the one that I use:

http://www.amazon.com/Neptunes-Harvest-Organic-Hydrolized-Fertilizer/dp/B000OWBUSA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1377917308&sr=8-1&keywords=fish+emulsion

I got mine at my local Agway

Here are cheaper t5 set ups from hydrofarm.
http://www.amazon.com/Hydrofarm-JSV4-4-Foot-Start-System/dp/B0001XLSGQ/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1395154828&sr=8-2&keywords=jump+start+high+output+light

http://www.amazon.com/Hydrofarm-JSV2-2-Foot-Start-System/dp/B0006856EQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1395154828&sr=8-1&keywords=jump+start+high+output+light

http://www.amazon.com/Seeds-Things-Dwarf-Pomegranate-Houseplant/dp/B004RE1WPM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1395490959&sr=8-1&keywords=Orange+dwarf+seeds

I found dwarf orange seeds but no lime.

The insecticides (this one) and mild sprays that others are suggesting sometimes work. However, there are some other approaches, if they don't work for you:

• Fungus gnats dry out and die easily. If the plants are very hardy to a period of minimal watering, refraining from adding water until the soil is dry can kill most of them. This is a reliable method that always works, but it's not practical for all plants. It sounds like some of yours probably could, though, but I'm no expert.
  
• The bacteria species Bacillus thuringienis produces a substance that kills the larvae of fungus gnats. You can buy it on amazon and add it to the soil. It does not affect the adults, but they are short lived, so if you consistently kill the larvae you will eliminate the infestation relatively quickly. This is the single most reliable treatment, when done right. It combines well with the other treatments, both the ones I list and the ones others have mentioned, too. (Note: Don't let the bottle get too hot. Since they're bacteria, you can kill them, and then the product doesn't work.)
  
• Sticky yellow traps will kill a lot of the adults. This won't fix a big infestation, but it can control mild ones or act preventatively. It works great in combination with the bacteria treatment, turning it into a two-pronged attack on the larvae+adults. I find it works best to place them such that they touch the rim of the pot, where the gnats seem to like to walk, but you have to play with the positioning.