The Plant Thread

[Artemesia's Garden]

That's really interesting Artie about the star anise and the lemon trees.  I would have never thought about trying to grow plants from the things you buy at the store. 

I've wondered sometimes if my mints are safe to eat.  I know you can eat mint and use it to flavor things, but I've been growing them in Miracle Grow and not organic soil.  The only thing I spray them with the is dish soap spray.


Ponyfan

I would guess it's fine unless you're allergic to mint? If you post me a picture of the label for the miracle grow I can look it up and check what's in it for you. Dried peas are fun to grow too, you can put pea shoots in salad or stir fry.

[BlackCurtains]

I use indoor Miracle Grow for Ben and I've eaten the leaves plenty of times without issue.

[Ponyfan]

Thanks Artie and BC.

This is the Miracle Grow I use.  Miracle Grow Potting Mix.

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Also, here's this week's pics of the mints.  My dad brought them inside one night because it was supposed to get really close to freezing.  I took them back out once it was warm enough.  I'm not sure if I got them back in the same positions they were before.

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Mint 1

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Mint 2

Ponyfan

[Artemesia's Garden]

They certainly look happy. I found this website, but I can't seem to access it... https://www.miraclegro.com/en-us/miracle-gro-potting-mix-ingredients

[Ponyfan]

It looks like Miracle Grow contains sphagnum peat, aged bark fine, plant food and perlite.



Ponyfan

[BlackCurtains]

I did a quick search and from my own experience it looks like you can safely eat plants grown in regular Miracle-Grow potting mixes. What isn't safe to eat is the liquid plant food you spray on the plant, it says to wait a few days before you eat anything after applying it. So I would test a little first, if you're still worried, and see if you react to it. I don't like mint and have a mild allergy, so I don't know what you can do with it. Um... eat a leaf for fresh breath?

I think Ben is done sprawling out. He's still dropping leaves but new ones are growing, so maybe the leaves are just old. The cat grass is growing well but Aster eats it every day, so it's short. I bought a new refill kit with three more seed packets and I think I have one left from the last one.

[Ponyfan]

Thanks, BC.

I'm not sure what you can do with mint either, although sometimes I see drink recipes that mention using it.

I remember picking mint in my grandparent's backyard, but I don't remember eating it.


Ponyfan

[Taffeta]

I don't cook, but I do know you can cook with mint. Over here there's mint sauce, which obviously involves mint xD but that's mostly how I hear it being used, as a cooking herb.

[Artemesia's Garden]

Some of the things in that list aren't great for the environment, but won't hurt you if you eat plants grown in it. I guess you don't normally only eat Organic certified food? We make a mint, turmeric and yogurt sauce to go with curry, or we make tea with it. It's nice with salad too. Or Pimms and Lemonade. I also like to harvest things I've grown myself.

[Ponyfan]

Thanks everyone.   My family doesn't buy organic food.  We're supposed to be dropping below freezing at night the next few days so I moved the plants back in to the sunroom for a while.  Hopefully, they will be happy there until they can go back outside.


Ponyfan

[BlackCurtains]

Hmm. Even after soaking him, Ben doesn't seem to be doing too well. Could be seasonal.

[Ponyfan]

I put towels under the mint plants and even put 2 under the smaller one.  The towel under the large mint plant was soaked through and the towels under the smaller one were also wet but not as much as the soaked one.  I don't understand why the towels got so wet unless the saucers leaked on to the towels and I didn't realize it? 

Ponyfan

[Lady Frostbite]

Repotted a couple of the succulent offshoots, as one has officially gotten too big for the teeny pots, so that one's teeny pot has gone to the sprout twins. Also took another offshoot from the Mama plant; I bought that gasteraloe for 10p because it was a sad ratty little thing with three leaves. Now she is a mama to about 7 offshoots and is thick and strong herself!

There's mould or algae growing on the rubber stopper for my bamboo  I've tried scrubbing a little and it's not coming off, so I'm going to let it dry out and try again. I should probably pot the bamboo in the future.

I found a single Chocolate Naga seed in my seed bank?! I had planned to grow Jay's Peach Ghost Scorpion and Pink Tiger again next year, and possibly a Reaper Pink Peach as they look so pretty. Ugh, why can't I just have a greenhouse!!

[Artemesia's Garden]

Hey Lady, I think your gasteraloe sounds amazing! I have a couple of other aloes but not that one, it's really pretty. I have been fighting mould today  I find Milton tablets work well do you get them where you are? I am also looking forward to having a greenhouse one day. Hopefully we both get greenhouses!

[Taffeta]

I did some weeding and trimming back today. Got attacked by my buddleia. I guess it was fighting back, since I was trying to persuade it its deep and loving relationship with the wisteria was not going to continue through the winter. Wisteria thinks Buddleia is a climbing frame, since it broke its own frame already two years ago and parents have not yet replaced it. Wisteria is not technically part of my section of garden although it is, because parents decided to plant it there despite having a lot of room elsewhere. I love the wisteria, don't get me wrong, but it does not understand personal space rules.