Space-age plants

I got this cute LED growth light thanks to the folks at The LA Shop. That's right, the same technology that runs a digital clock can also grow plants!




LED growth lights would probably grow your food if you were on a space flight mission to Mars. They are more compact and more efficient than fluorescent lights, making them perfect for putting out high light intensity in a small space craft. Another advantage is LEDs don't generate much excess heat.
LEDs might also offer an alternative to fluorescents for the average home gardener for these same reasons. Plus they just look cool.
Notice they are only emitting red and blue light. That should work pretty well because that's the colors plants absorb the most from natural sunlight. Notice below how the three main pigments in leaves absorb these wavelengths of light the best.




I'm taking home my office plants for the summer break, so it's a perfect time to experiment. Looking forward to seeing how they grow!

Hydroponics is not just for pot heads

I was amused by this news article about a Kansas couple who got raided possibly just because they bought some hydroponics supplies. The police swarmed in to find a few tomato and squash plants.
I'm glad I'm not the only plant geek who has played with hydroponics just because it seemed like a fun idea. In college a friend helped me engineer a windowsill hydroponics unit. I used it to grow houseplants. That's all. Really.

Just starting to bud

Flowers at Christmastime?!? This was a nice surprise. I love the buds even more than the blossoms. When you buy an orchid, do you look for the one with the most flowers or the one just starting to spike and form buds? Maybe you're even confident and patient enough to pick up that spent orchid on clearance, but I'm not there yet. I go for the buds.






I get the same feeling about the holidays; the anticipation of Christmas is the best time of year. I can't wait to survey all the presents I've squirreled away in my closet tonight & maybe start wrapping.

This image also reminds me to dwell on the new friendships and new adventures just starting to bud on my life. It took a hard pruning to get to this place, but I guess that's what you need to do sometimes.

Summer Evening

Enjoying our backyard tonight.  I love this oak tree!  No real garden here yet, but there's an upside to taking a break from that.  I can read a trashy novel & watch the kids play without feeling compelled to weed.

Why Avoid Bradford Pears?

They tend to split on you, as we discovered this morning.