An indoor garden...keeping plants cool?

I like plants. Of course, I've only had a little plot outside my mothers house before. I kept the easiest, safest plant on the planet-- mums. Still, I loved them and wished I didn't have to leave them behind. In my own home, I rent. I consider it a waste of money to plant a garden I will eventually have to leave. So, I decided to buy some houseplants. Of course, I am never satisfied with the middle ground and decided to turn my bedroom into a garden. (O.k. so I'm crazy) Anyway...I've discovered there's a bit more to all this than just sticking them in the pot and watering. I have the loveliest plants. I am enthralled by two little gardenias I bought. I have done my research, believe me, but still, I'm encountering an issue. TEMPERATURE.
I don't want to take up window space with the air unit. I've decided to try an alternative way of cooling them down. Would it be reasonable or even effective to freeze water in soda bottles and place a fan on them in the direction of my gardenias?

Never thought of that since I am gardening in my apartment. I would think that you would need a big freezer to keep all the bottles in and a big area to place the bottles in front of the fan in the summer months. Then figure out depending on the temperature for that particular day, how fast the bottles will thaw out during the warmest time of the day. How many times a day would you change the bottles to replace it with frozen ones?. What happens if you are not home on the hottest days?. Will you also use a ceiling fan to move the heat around?. This might help you with your calculations for your project or to find different plants that enjoy heat or dryness. I am curious about advise or ideas will posted. Ivy.

I run several fans all day long for general air circulation. I have a tiny fan though that I think I could aim at the plants without causing wind stress on them. My best bet, because I work, would be to start the fan and bottle when I leave for work, switch it out when I get home, and maybe run one more at night since the nights here will get about ten degrees higher than the gardenias preference. I thought I could use one or two bottles at a time, when temperatures are still in the 80's at least. After that, I don't know. We get temps in the lower 100 degree range. I guess this is kind of a blind experiment. IF this works, or even if it doesn't, I'll post it for you. My poor little gardenia flower...all yellow on the edges....*sigh*

How hot is it getting in your apartment? I expect if it's cool enough that you can stand living there, the temperature should be fine for the gardenias. People grow them outdoors in the south where it gets quite warm in the summer so I don't expect indoor temperatures will be a problem for them.

my prefered temperature is any temperature above 80 degrees if I can sit in front of a fan :P As for my new plants, they've been doing really well but it's getting into the upper 80's in here and my little blossom turned yellow around the petals in less than 24 hours. So far, it seems I've gotten everything else right. I didn't experience leaf drop, bud drop, or anything. I was sooo relieved. I did read that the yellowing of the flower so quickly meant that the plant was stressed. The only thing I can pinpoint is the higher temperatures.

e is correct; gardenias do well when temps are above 100 for days on end in areas of the South where the soil is acidic. The key to having success with them has more to do with good LIGHT- SUNlight that is- and acidic soil. You are ingenious to come up with your plan to keep them cool, but in an apt. I can't imagine their getting enough sun to bloom. Your potting mix should contain a lot of Canadian sphagnum peat moss to provide acidity. I hope your water isn't alkaline, because if it is, no matter how perfect your soil is, the salts in alkaline water will gradually build up in the pot(s) and that will be a problem. It sounds like this is something you have to try, but I'd be at the same time looking at plants more adaptable to indoor conditions.

RE your message at 7:15- temperature is going to be the least of your worries with your gardenias.

My window gets a good four hours of dead on sunlight and then bright light the rest of the afternoon. If it's not enough, I've already bought grow lights. My hibiscus just bloom and bloom under them. I have them on trays with pebbles and water for humidity. I plan on investing in a humidifier before winter comes. I've tried to cover all the bases. I'm just flat out determined! :P

I made sure too that I got terra cotta pots so it would be easy to see when they needed water, bought organic potting soil, and fertilizer. I've also been using distilled water, and I read about the trick to keep soil acidic with coffee (which is perfect because I love coffee and ma plants)

Oh, the coffee idea. These things take on a life of their own. Do you happen to BREW the coffee before adding the grounds to your potting mix? If so, the acidity is just about gone. There wasn't that much to begin with.
I admire your optimism and tenacity and wish you all the luck in the world.

Your idea to keep your plants alive is very interesting. I had imagined a row of bottles on very hot days. It does not seem so difficult the way you have worked it out so far. I am always checking the thermometers in my apartment. It tells me when the air is very dry or how humid it is in my livingroom. I will be watching for more ideas that may come thru here to save for the future.

Torrie, I'll let you know how this works out, especially come august. dp, ah do believe I've been offered a challenge. : D how long do you think they'll live? I'd offer you a wager, but can't imagine how that'd work here.

Well I would love to see a current photo of what you have. I have some Orchid Cactus cuttings that I just bought recently. So that is why I will be watching and taking notes. I am hoping for blooms by next spring on a few of them (all grown under lights). I do not have any sunshine at all and I know that the grow lights will bring unwanted heat.
Ivy

If you use regular fluorescent lights for your plants those will work fine in terms of light and won't create a significant amount of heat.

I think everyone's worrying to much about keeping houseplants cool...most houseplants are native to areas that get hotter during the day than most people keep their houses, and most houseplants can also be happy when you put them outside for the summer, so unless you're growing really specialized plants from very cool climates you're worrying about nothing. Only place I know of where you have to worry about cooling things down to keep plants happy is if you have a greenhouse and are trying to grow plants in there during the summertime, but indoor temperatures really are not going to be a problem unless you keep your house at 100 degrees all summer long (in which case I'd worry about your health before I'd start worrying about the plants!) There are tons of other things that can make houseplants unhappy that I would worry about first--if you're not having luck with a particular plant chances are it's the amount of light, water, fertilizer, humidity, etc that's causing the problem not your indoor temperature.

I will look into fluorescent bulbs. I have a couple of months to go before the weather change to very hot. I will be able to order my bulbs by July. I have a small K-Mart and HD that I go to , but I am always told to check elsewhere when I am looking for something. So the search is on. I'll check Ebay too. Thanks for that idea.

Torrie,
My experiment was a failure from the get go. A small fan will not force the air hard enough. My larger fan blows to hard which will put wind stress on the plants and more or less blow away any humidity surrounding the plants from the tray. I just might have to run an air conditioner. *sigh*

I'll say it one more time...houseplants don't need air conditioning!!! In fact they may well be happier without it, since air conditioning takes moisture out of the air, and many houseplants would prefer a little more humidity than what you'll have indoors if you're running the AC. You'll need the AC on for your own sake well before the plants will need it. Your houseplants will be fine without it, particularly ones like gardenia that can very well grow outdoors in hotter climates than yours. If your plants are not doing well, it is because of something else (light, water, humidity, fertilizer, and insects all come to mind as common things that can make plants unhappy)

This is one of the more bizarre threads I've ever followed, but I can't resist coming back to it. Don't you realize that air conditioning relies on circulating air, which would mean that misting or putting the plant on rocks and water would be foolish, since the moving air would immediately remove any humidity that might provide? And why can't you understand that GARDENIAS CAN TAKE HEAT? I lived in Houston (TX) for 20 years, and its climate is compared to that of Calcutta. Brutally hot, humid weather from April to October.
There were gardenias at my front entrance (OUTSIDE) on the west side, facing the afternoon sun, and they did beautifully and the scent of the blooms was heavenly. The soil there is acidic and it rains a lot.
I have never ever seen or heard of gardenias grown in an apt. If you want to continue your experiments, please do that, but spare us the details. You see gardenias for sale in florist shops, but they are grown in greenhouses, NOT INSIDE THE SHOP. Gardenias require more light and humidity than they are going to get in an apt. You can supply perfect soil, apply the perfect fertilizer, and love them with all your heart and they are going to go downhill and die anyway. Life can be tough. No one gets everything he wants. Why can't you fall in love with African violets or Chinese evergreens? You might as well try to cultivate and harvest cranberries in your apt. as to have success with gardenias.

I don't see this as a bizarre thread, but find it interesting. That is why I log on all the time. If everyone start to think alike, then there is no need to exchange or air ideas whether good, bad, or strange. I did find a few forums that was a turn off for me, so what did I do?. I did not look at them anymore. Since I am starting with my own plants indoors, everything is interesting, but it does not mean that I will try everything out. I would try to give an opinion that will help make the idea work better, be encouraging to the one posting to think it out more or wait and see what happens next. There are so many experts on DG that if it does not work, there will be another idea suggested like the type of lights that may work. As for me, I will keep watching this thread.
Ivy

Definitely have to agree that your Gardenias will love the heat, but along with that heat they need good light, good air circulation, and since growing in pots, a fair degree of humidity at the same time.

I grow a gardenia, (potted) and set it outdoors during the summer. It take the heat very well, as long as it's kept moist. If I allow it to dry too much, it's leaves yellow and drop.
Keeping them moist when growing in-ground isn't as difficult, as they have the moisture from the ground to draw from.

In the winter, however, when I bring it indoors, the heat isn't important, in fact they much prefer growing in a cooler room. The main reason for that, though, is because the forced-air heat creates DRY AIR, hence, a lack of humidity.
They grow better in the cooler room due to the fact that the humidity is higher in the cooler room.

My guess for what's ailing your plants is (as suggested by ecrane above) either lack of adequate light or humidity.
If your home is, indeed, humid along with the heat, then I'd guess they're lacking air circulation, so the fan may help, but the bottles likely won't.

Hecates Moon, How are your plants now that it is getting warmer?. So far, everything is growing well in my apartment and it is still comforable here. I will take a few photos of my plants so you can see how I have them set up with my lights if you want to see them.
Enjoy the weekend everyone.
Ivy.

I have never been successful growing gardenias indoors, even with good light. If I am lucky enuff for them not to be done in by spider mites, they still decline. In the best conditions, they are still not a plant for beginners. I always think it better to start out with less difficult plants, that way you won't be too discouraged by your lack of success, and decide that keeping plants is too much work. Indoor or any type of gardening should be looked at as a pleasure, not a frustrating challenge or battle to be won!!

African Violets are beautiful indoor flowering plants, easy to care for and get to bloom again with a minimal amount of "work", why not try plants like that?

So how are your plants doing?. Did you buy new ones?.

HecatesMoon:

I hope your Gardenia plants have improved and are growing well. I live in Florida and have 2 huge Gardenia's growing in my yard. One is in full direct hot sun all day and the other is in full shade all day. I planted them as little plants many years ago and they have both bloomed profusely every year without me ever fertilizing them. I think the things Gardenia's love are very bright light, heat & humidity, and good air circulation (which a ceiling fan will provide.) The soil should be kept moist with good drainage. To increase humidity around your plants, a tray of pebbles with water in the tray, should be easier than the frozen bottle/fan method.

Sometimes in this part of Florida, we have cold temperature's in winter, usually in Jan/Feb, and this past winter we had a few frosts and two freezes ... my Gardenia's survived fine.

I am wondering if your plants were recent purchases? Sometimes the change from one location to another (nursery or garden center to your apartment) can cause stress and I'm wondering if that might be why the blooms turned yellow around the edges? Sometimes it just takes a little time for plants to get established and used to their new home, but should recover.

I can't really give advice on growing this plant inside since mine are outdoors in the ground, but the large bushes in my yard will be full of beautiful blooms and within a few days they begin to turn yellow and then brown and look yucky, I think it's just the normal aging process. A lady I worked with once said her father was a gardener/ farmer who grew gardenia's for years and told her the blooms when touched, will turn yellow from the oil on our skin and I've found that if I do handle the petals a lot, they do begin to turn tan/brown.

I hope you haven't given up on your plants because of one person's negative posting here. The advice of ecrane3 and Nan is great advice, they are two knowledgeable folks who know their stuff and always offer great advice that I've heeded many times!

Have fun with your indoor oasis, never give up! Many plants can and will grow beautifully inside, and many plants have minds of their own and just won't survive no matter how hard we try! Plants really do change the mood in a room as well as the moods of us humans! I call playing in the dirt "My therapy" and if a particular plant doesn't grow well and survive, I just enjoy it while it's pretty (even if it's only for a week!) I figure there's always more where that one came from!

Happy Indoor Gardening!

Lin

Hi Lin,
I agree with your information. I did not like the negative response either so I replied as someone who does not have experience, but who feels for others, so I give my support to any new ideas as you can see. I do hope to hear from HecatesMoon soon and hope that they are not discouraged.

Probably does not watch this thread any more. I will d-mail and see whats up.

This message was edited Jun 6, 2009 1:38 PM

Hi Ivy:

I don't know why dp72 would come to the Beginner Houseplants thread and post with such a negative attitude, maybe he/she was just having a bad day.

We are all beginners and inexperienced at some time. I still consider myself a beginner with a lot of plants. I hope the negative post has not scared HecatesMoon away from this wonderful Garden! There are so many kind and helpful folks here who offer great advice ... it would be really sad if someone were discouraged and decided not to post again because of negativity like that.

It happened to me once when I first joined. I did just that and removed the thread from my favorites' list. I don't even peep at the thread. I will say my piece if it happens again. With all the horrible things happening all around us, I come here to DG and just relax. It is where I am learning new things.

I never knew what a Orchid Cactus was until I join up, and now I have 30 plus of those very beautiful plants. I happened to like the idea of a new hobby. I am open to more things as I get older. Does that make sense?.

Ivy: LOL, I have learned about so many new plants since subscribing to DG. This place is the best money I've ever spent and I would recommend subscribing to anyone. There are so many great folks on this forum!

Wow! It sounds like you have really gotten hooked on Epi's with 30+. That kinda sounds like me and Hoya's. I have taken a great liking to Hoya's this past year, never knew there were so many different ones out there until coming across the Hoya forum! Just like Epiphyllum ... so many to choose from! I have a very large Epiphyllum hookeri that I received from a friend back in the 70's. I had never seen blooms and figured since I never fertilized that was probably the reason. Well .. come to find out it's a night bloomer, so last year I began watching it and finally got to see and photograph the blooms! I've read that it is fragrant but I detected absolutely no scent on mine at all.

My E. oxypetalum had three buds a few days ago (first time I've had blooms on this one) but two of the buds blasted and fell off. The remaining one is getting long and I've made myself a note to keep watch every night so I don't miss it!

I also have a large Ric Rac Orchid cactus in a hanging basket. Last year it had a nice fat bud on it. One morning I noticed it was all yucky looking and I thought maybe it had bugs was diseased or something. I posted a photo and was informed that it too is a night bloomer and I had missed that beautiful bloom!! I am watching them closely now! I have a few Epi's that were received as cuttings in trades the past two years. Some were just marked with a permanent marker A & B ??, don't have a clue what that means! I rec'd one cutting of an Epi called Heaven Scent but with all the little pots I have sitting out on the deck and labels fading, I have no idea which one it is in the group. I'm thinking that would be a very fragrant Epi with that name! I recently got a small cutting of one called Freuling's Gold. I can't wait for some of these cuttings to grow up and bloom!

Oh that is great. I am bidding on two plants on Ebay right now. With all the epi's that I have, I hope to win my very first Ric Rac Orchid. They were never available when I was ordering. I think that they have very interesting leaves. Since everything is under plant lights, I am checking for pests, spots, dryness and rotating them regularly to receive sufficient light. When I do get a bud, I will be so happy. My buds have fallen off also, Have been informed that those with buds should not be touched. So I am learning.

Ivy: Sending you d-mail!