Glad To Be Back =^)

Hello AV Lovers! I've been gone from this forum for a bit, but I'm hoping that some of you still remember me.

I've been poking around to catch up on things (I never could keep up with y'all) and there's some great threads. I love the soil recipes, lots to learn there. I think I'll get in on this month's bingo too, although I have NO idea what any of those plants are, LOL!

How is everyone here doing? Catch me up on things, fill me in. I've missed too much.

My AVs are doing well, I even have some named ones now! Yipee! Thanks to a wonderful trade with Spider07 (Anna)...I now can boast about having real, named AVs of my very own. I have been so excited about these all year, but too busy to give them great care. Now that summer is winding down for me I can become a good AV Mama again.


Now, y'all know I can't post anything without asking a question. So, here it is...how far above your plants do you keep your lights? When I had to move my plant shelves outdoors this year I lost my AV stand, so I moved them to an end table w/ a lamp that had a compact fluorescent bulb in it. They continued to do well and flower. However, that was a short lamp. I'm wondering how tall of a lamp I can use. Thanks for any help!

Heather

Welcome back, Heather!
Every outdoor gardener's AVs will be so pleased for winter to focus more attentoin indoors.

Mine are about 10" away. How do you mean "tall" lamp? You mean length of fluorescent tube? There are no limits on that, 4' ones are most common and not too cumbersome. Being frugal and all, I just use those $8 shop-lites from your favorite Home Improvement store with one cool and one "daylight/sunlight" bulb.
Kenton

Heather!! Welcome back! Hope you've had a glorious summer. :-)

I'm not commiting to new trades until I get caught up on other things and get a few long-planned boxes out, but I haven't forgotten that you wanted a couple of variegated AVs... and please be sure to let me know if you're ever heading down this way (lots of major highways pass through Frederick, and most of them have exits just a mile or two from our house).

My AVs will be happy to have a little more attention from me this winter also. I think some of the "uptown babies" got too much light at the beginning of summer from florescent tubes plus the south-facing window (sunlight was filtered by a blind, but even so), but some are starting to grow out of their tight centers now.

Most of the lights I use over my AVs are the 4 ft shop lights (T-12 or T-8 bulbs) that Kenton mentioned, but my MIL has a plant blooming nonstop under a grow bulb in a table lamp. I think a light that's much more than 10-12 inches away from the top of the plant won't provide enough extra light for good growth and blooming, and I try to leave at least 6 inches between the bulb and the top of the leaves.

Thanks for the info. I may have to move things around a bit.

Kenton, by "tall" I'm talking about how tall my table lamp is. I'm using regular table lamps like you put in your living room on your end tables. My shop lights had to come down with the shelves and I don't have room anywhere else to set them up. The compact fluorescent bulbs put off the same spectrum of light, so I'm guessing they are the next best thing. They also use these type of bulbs as grow bulbs for small aquariums...only those are a lower wattage than what I'm using.

I just needed to know for sure how tall of a lamp I could. My 18" lamp has produced blooms and new growth, or at least sustained them. My 24" lamp hasn't but they've stayed alive and healthy looking. I have a new lamp (don't know what you call them) that has an adjustable arm...desk lamp?? I can decide how high/tall this one will be.

The other nice thing about using regular table lamps is that you can place your AVs pretty much anywhere you'd like, even in a really dark room, and still have blooms. =^)

Hey Heather!

Welcome back! I don't remember you but good to have you back just the same.

Joanne

Thank you Joanne! =^)

Welcome back heatherjoy!


MsC

welcome back! It hasn't been all that long, has it?

Hi Heather ! Great to see you missed you. How's your Bromlaids. I am loving mine !

Y'all here are sooo great. Thanks for the warm welcome.

It hasn't been too long, but it's been too long...LOL! I guess it's been a few months. I got wrapped up in the garden outside. Literally. This was this big vine I was trying to prune and.....he he he

Ali, I've been meaning to contact you about the Bromes. 'IT' has a baby that is growing very nicely. I've had it outdoors all summer and it's loved it. I'm attaching a close up pic for you. When I bring it in for winter I'm planning on removing the baby...unless research says I should wait a bit longer. I'd really like to get it to you asap, I know you'd like to get it too. I've seen your Brome posts here and there and have been watching your collection grow. You have some beauties!! I may have another that I can share with you also. =^)

CritterO, I wasn't looking for trades, and don't worry about the one we tried to set up a while back. No big deal. I'm just excited to now be able to give good care to some named AVs and then I'll be able to see them bloom! I can actually post a pic of blooms and put a name with it!! LOL

I think I may just go shopping for creative AV pots at second hand stores today. =^)

Welcome back Heather!

Beautiful Heather ! The one Eunice sent me had two babies like yours and they just wiggled off. One I gave to an AV friend took it off while she was here and sent it home with her. The other I put down. Our larger ones are outside most in the ground several in pots until we move. Their so colorful and fun and easy to grow. !

I wish we could grow our Bromes outdoors all year here, but no such zone! I'm going to have to be bringing everything in soon. I have a plant swap this weekend, then hopefully I can start to get things wrapped up and put the garden to bed for this year. I'm really looking forward to that. There's just been too much going on this summer and I'm looking forward to a break and the fall colors.

You know, Ali, every time I walk by that Brome now I'm going to want to wiggle it. LOL. I'm going to know better, but we'll see how long I can resist. It's only put off that one pup, but I think those star kind are different than the other Bromes...if I remember right. I've forgotten so much about those plants, I need to refresh my memory.

Hope everyone has a great day!!