We've lived here for several years and over that time I have tried growing numerous things from seed and attempted to care for established plants that we've bought in.
I may have had success for a month or two and then bam! It all (excuse the pun) goes to pot.
Something clicked with me this year out of nowhere. Our tap water. Our tap water is probably as hard as water can get, full of limescale. Was that why I was having no joy nurturing plants in here? So far it seems like the answer is yes.
Those are a few examples of seed success so far! Two baby Apple trees that the seeds were dried from a Pink Lady apple I ate (that makes me so happy 😄), two little Sweet Peppers and several Black Cherry Tomato plants. Both of which the seed packets cost me 1p each! This also makes me very happy 😁
I've been watering with only bottled water and it has made a huge difference. Also, I've been taking advantage of our salt lamps for heat and light to start the seeds off and to keep the seedlings cosy.
As you can see from my Wheel, those are the Apple seedlings in January. Not sure when they were sown.
This is them at Imbolc.
This is them today!
I'm at least five months in with the Apples and what with all the other greenery in here, I don't think it's a fluke - I'm sure I'm right about the main problem being the awful tap water. That mystery solved!
Here's some of the other apartment gardening projects I've got going on:
Two Date Palms (one incredibly wonky for unknown reasons) from Seeds that I got from eating the dates then dried. Three Rosemary's whom I had expected to be a lot more established by now. Seven small Basil plants, again, I expected them to have thrived but they haven't. I'm okay with slow but steady though, no complaints here after the years of utter failure. They're flanked by three of my Cape Sundews who are the guardians of the fungus gnat watch. Lots more about those to come in another post. I may have developed a bit of an obsession with carnivorous plants 😉
Four Sweet Pepper plants, curiously, all the seeds were sown at the same time and kept in the same place but the smallest to the biggest are vastly different sizes 😕 Of course more Sundews! The one on the right is a hybrid, the leaves will grow upwards instead of outwards like the Cape's.
Here's where the baby, babies live. The newly sown seeds and seedlings by the salt lamps. I've tried moving the Black Cherry Tomato plants but they seem to prefer it here to anywhere else viable to put them.
I think there are twelve Tomato plants in total. The pots top right under their plastic cup greenhouses hold a Lemon seeding (I did have success with one previously but the fungus gnats sadly got it. It's payback time thanks to the amazing Sundews!) and a re-sowing of Mugwort seeds. My third attempt. Why you may wonder? Just two words. No, three. F*$£ing FUNGUS GNATS!!!!!!
I think my new obsession is thoroughly justified.
Then the three little pots covered in cling film are a variety of sown Olive pits. Another eat then grow project. It's only been a few days so I'm looking forward to see how many seedlings I get.
Here we have from top left, Borage/Starflower. This plant is a complete and utter mystery to me. These are my second set of seedlings - I can't blame the gnats this time - the first set, looking wonderfully healthy just flopped over and expired one by one. From my research apparently that's what they do but when they're established. These guys are all floppy but very much alive so I've decided to just leave them be. Spray them with water every few days but other than that pretend they aren't there. Some people apparently consider them weeds and here's me struggling to grown them for medicinal purposes!
Next pot is Chamomile. Second attempt and again, can't blame the gnats. The failure was all of my own doing because I squished them with my poorly thought out watering technique. This set were doing brilliantly well by the window, being watered via the tray at the bottom. Today I noticed that lots of them have flopped over, so I've moved them here. I'm not sure what the problem is except that maybe lack of sun as it's been incredibly grey here the past few days.
Next are two pots of Black Cherry Tomatoes, then my second attempt at Chives. May or may not have been the gnats, not sure. This set don't look too good this time around either.
Next are three Sage seedlings, another second attempt. Possibly gnat murder but the case is still open. They're looking quite healthy so I'm hopeful of success with these.
The little pot houses two Sweetgrass blades. I was ecstatic for these to grow as I've read that it's quite difficult. Sadly they haven't looked too good the past few days by the window so I moved them to the light of the salt lamps. Possibly lack of sun has done this.
Tarragon next and another second try. I currently have one seeding who isn't standing upright 😞
Then the last pot has one lone Indian Tobacco seedling who is the tiniest! I've never had a seedling before so that's progress! Second set of seeds sown.
Out of shot is a pot with three White Sage seedlings. I've had them for a few months and they were doing great but isn't going well these past few days. They were by the window so it's possible that these have had the same lack of sun issue as some of the others.
So that's where I'm at, it's so incredibly special to have plants growing around me again. I feel very, very blessed 🌙🌕🌜
