diff --git a/houseplants/houseplants.jpg b/houseplants/houseplants.jpg new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6aef745 Binary files /dev/null and b/houseplants/houseplants.jpg differ diff --git a/houseplants/houseplants.md b/houseplants/houseplants.md new file mode 100755 index 0000000..db659c6 --- /dev/null +++ b/houseplants/houseplants.md @@ -0,0 +1,183 @@ +#!/bin/env slides + +# Houseplants + +And how to keep them alive for 12 years. + +_by Bruce Hill_ + +----------------------------------------- + +![sxiv -f -sf](leon.jpg) + +----------------------------------------- + +# My Houseplants + +![sxiv -f -sf](houseplants.jpg) + +I have a bunch spread across the apartment. +This talk will walk you through some basics. + +----------------------------------------- + +# Buy a Plant + +- Go to Home Depot (good prices) +- Trendy plant shops are overpriced (but have cute pots) +- Read the labels on the plants for light conditions +- Nice to have: a small watering can (~$2) + +----------------------------------------- + +# Easy Plants: Peace Lily + +![sxiv -f -sf](peace-lily2.jpg) + +- I've had mine for 12 years (!) +- Low light +- Very emotive +- Pretty flowers sometimes + +----------------------------------------- + +# Side Note: Hot Fuzz + +![sxiv -f -sf](peace-lily.jpg) + +> Yes, I’ve been tending my Peace Lily for three +> years now. NASA rates it as one of top ten air +> cleaning plants. It oxygenates the room, it +> helps me think, it relieves stress. Its needs +> are simple. + +----------------------------------------- + +# Easy Plants: Snake Plant + +![sxiv -f -sf](snake-plant.jpg) + +- Low light +- Needs good drainage +- Tolerates infrequent/inconsistent watering +- AKA "mother-in-law's tongue" lol +- Can propagate with clippings + +----------------------------------------- + +# Easy Plants: Pothos + +![sxiv -f -sf](pothos.jpg) + +- Jungle plant +- Low light +- Dangly (nice for putting on a bookshelf) +- Tolerates overwatering well (rainforest mutation) +- Easy to propagate + +----------------------------------------- + +# Easy Plants: Succulents + +![sxiv -f -sf](succulents.jpg) + +- High light +- Need good drainage +- California vibes +- Lots of variety +- Weird alien plants + +----------------------------------------- + +# Drainage + +Most plants' roots will rot if left to sit in water. +(Pothos and other rainforest plants are an exception) + +Ideally, you want damp soil, not standing water. + +Pots have drainage to solve this problem: + +- Little hole at the bottom to let excess water out +- Catchment tray to catch the water +- Unglazed clay pots are porous + +Plant pots are not buckets of dirt! + +You can put pots with drainage inside decorative pots, +but don't forget to empty the water if it's coming out +the bottom! + +----------------------------------------- + +# Watering Basics + +1. Poke your finger in the soil. +2. If it's cold (wet), don't water. Damp soil is also darker. +3. Slowly pour water on top of the soil. +4. Wait a bit for it to settle (you can hear it) +5. Be ready to dump out catchment tray if you poured too much. +6. Ideal amount of water is a tiny bit coming out the bottom, or just shy. + +----------------------------------------- + +# Watering Tips + +- Very dry soil absorbs water **slower** than damp soil. For + very dry plants, pour a little bit, wait, pour a bit more. +- When water drains out the bottom, it clears out accumulated + waste in the soil. Do this at least every once in a while. +- For sensitive plants, leave water to sit for a few hours + before watering so chlorine in the tap water evaporates. +- Add a bit of fertilizer to the water every so often to + provide essential nutrients. + +----------------------------------------- + +# (Re)potting + +Sometimes you want to move a plant to a new pot +(e.g. if it's getting too big) + +- Go to a farmer's market and buy nice soil (Union Square) +- Choose high/low drainage soil appropriately +- Put plant in its old pot in the sink when dry +- Dig your hands in and lift the plant out from the roots +- Untangle the roots if they're too clumped up +- Fill new pot with a bit of soil +- Move plant into new pot and start packing in soil +- Firmly tamp down the soil until it is a bit below the + rim of the pot. +- Water the plant and be prepared to add more soil as it settles + +----------------------------------------- + +# Grow Lights + +- Good for dark apartments +- Get them at a hardware store + - Grow bulb (~$10) + - Clamp lamp fixture (~$15) + - Timer (~$7) +- Hook up to a timer +- Plants are happy 😊 +- **Bonus:** wake up to artificial sunlight + +----------------------------------------- + +# Propagating + +- Plants want to grow and reproduce. +- **Big Plant** wants to charge you money and keep you dependent. +- Propagating lets you make more plants for free. +- Different for each plant species. +- Not that hard! + +1. Take clippings or sprouts +2. Put in a cup or tray or bottle until they develop roots. +3. Plant in soil. +4. Profit! + +----------------------------------------- + +# Go Forth and Propagate! diff --git a/houseplants/leon.jpg b/houseplants/leon.jpg new file mode 100644 index 0000000..3dc2561 Binary files /dev/null and b/houseplants/leon.jpg differ diff --git a/houseplants/peace-lily.jpg b/houseplants/peace-lily.jpg new file mode 100644 index 0000000..4998df1 Binary files /dev/null and b/houseplants/peace-lily.jpg differ diff --git a/houseplants/peace-lily2.jpg b/houseplants/peace-lily2.jpg new file mode 100644 index 0000000..10c25e9 Binary files /dev/null and b/houseplants/peace-lily2.jpg differ diff --git a/houseplants/pothos.jpg b/houseplants/pothos.jpg new file mode 100644 index 0000000..1d9af35 Binary files /dev/null and b/houseplants/pothos.jpg differ diff --git a/houseplants/snake-plant.jpg b/houseplants/snake-plant.jpg new file mode 100644 index 0000000..b0d86f7 Binary files /dev/null and b/houseplants/snake-plant.jpg differ diff --git a/houseplants/succulents.jpg b/houseplants/succulents.jpg new file mode 100644 index 0000000..22fe6bf Binary files /dev/null and b/houseplants/succulents.jpg differ