Podcast

Growing Plants in the Dark

December 21, 2019December 27, 2019 Mike Nowak A Gardening Xmas Carol, eco-influencer, Gabby Road, Grow in the Dark, growing indoor plants, Hollywood movie parody, It's a Wonderful Slice, Lisa Eldred Steinkopf, Mighty House, Peggy Malecki, Playtime with Bill Turck and Kerri Kendall, The Mike Nowak Show

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:32:00 — 42.7MB)

(December 22, 2019) Before we get to growing plants in the dark, I must issue a warning. Strap in. No, I’m not talking about politics. It’s time for It’s a Wonderful Slice 2019. where I take one of the most beloved films of all time and reduce it to rubble. Actually, I shorten this two and a half hour classic to ten or twelve minutes. You might say that everybody does that now. Everybody does truncated versions of classic plays and novels and films.

This podcast on this page contains the entire show. You can listen to just the presentation in the next post, titled “It’s a Wonderful Slice 2019!” It features the cast list and a little more background. But let’s get to growing plants in the dark.

Grow in the Dark

Our first hour features author Lisa Eldred Steinkopf. With more than 200 plants in her home on the first floor alone, she is sometimes known as The Houseplant Guru. Steinkopf was with us last February to talk about her book, Houseplants: The Complete Guide to Choosing, Growing, and Caring for Indoor Plants. At the time, I quoted her about caring for indoor plants.

There is no such thing as a natural green thumb. Many believe either you are born with one or not. The claim of having a brown or black thumb has had many dead plants placed at its doorstep. Yet having a green thumb is just a matter of paying attention to the needs of your plants and noticing when they are trying to tell you something. Killing a plant or two (or more) is not a crime, and can be a good learning experience.

In fact, in a Detroit News story, she states, “If you don’t kill a plant there’s something wrong with you.”

I would add my own corollary to that: “If you kill the same plant over and over again there’s something wrong with you.” I think I might have that printed up on t-shirts.

But I digress.

Her new book is one that I think many city dwellers will want to pick up. It’s called Grow in the Dark: How to Choose and Care for Low-Light Houseplants. The first thing she discusses, of course, is illumination. Then it’s Hydration (water) and Vitamins (fertilizer). After a chapter on Maintenance, she profiles 50 low-light houseplants that will survive even in your urban or suburban dungeon.

Want some tips on light? Here are just a few that Steinkopf provides. Look for more in the book.

Wash your windows! (Whaaaat?)
Wipe down your plants.
Remove your curtains and blinds.
Remove window awnings.
Paint your walls a light color.
Place mirrors across the room.
Wash your screens!
Prune your outside trees.

She has much more practical advice, and we’ll ask her about it this morning.

A Gardening Xmas Carol

Today’s show also features a reprise of A Gardening Xmas Carol, which premiered on this very show exactly one year ago. It quickly sank without a trace, which is why I’m bringing it back. I figure I’ll keep playing it until somebody pays attention. You brought it upon yourselves.