Help! I'm trying to grow plants inside?!?

I live in a dorm room in Michigan, and my room mate (bless her hippy soul) is trying to grow plants (Aloe, fennel, chamomile, spearmint, strawberries, and lilac) inside. She sets them on the window ledge durring the day to get sun, but it's always so cold there that we worry they will freeze! So to try and stop this, we move them away from the window when the sun is down. They are all in one aquarium-like-thing, and we keep the dirt moist all the time (which we aren't sure is good for the aloe?) but never flooded. THey have been planted for about 2-3 weeks, but no signs of sprouting! The aloe was transplanted, and is it still looking perfect, so we don't think we are doing TOO badly, but what will help? Should we buy some sort of special light bulb to put over them because the sun s really poor here? is there a plant food we should use? ANY ideas? She wants them to grow so bad, she dreams about them, lol...

Help! I'm trying to grow plants inside?!?
get some full spectrum flourescents, the more watts the better, but at least 200 watts, as far as watering you only want to get the soil nice and moist then dont water for about 5 days or until it sprouts, then water it only once every other day or even every 3rd day, ive only grown one kind of plant inside hehe, so i dont know if this will work with your plants but i would think itd be the same
Reply:Bottom heat is the answer here. Go out and buy a food warmer plate. Those can be set for about 85+ F and the pots placed onto the warmer plate. I use 95 F as indicated on thermometer placed in germination medium for hundreds of tomato and vegitable plants and flowers.



This is also a wonderful device to germinate planted seeds on. Take and germinate in sterile medium, then immediately after germination place in sterile soil.



You probably are making two mistakes here. One is too cold and drafty near the window, fix that with bottom heat. The second, you arent using sterile soils and germination medium. Make sure even the pots are sterile.
Reply:well, use miracle grow soil, the make stuff for indoor plants. also, use room temp. bottle water, you dont know what is in the water in dorms, lol. i drove across country and my rose bush was 'dormant' in 40-50 degree weather, but once i put it in 68 degrees, and watered it everyday, WOW! it is now 2-3ft tall, with lots of leaves on it! They also make miracle grow formula, the type you mix with water, for plants, the general stuff, works, it doesn't have to be 'plant specific'. i am sure once you warm them up and get good soil for them, they will grow. and i don't think you water aloe that much, just 1-2 times a week.
Reply:To much water for some plants are bad. Even if the soil is just moist. try a bigger container so the roots and spread out. more sun the better. some plants dont like it to how either.
Reply:hahahaha any "old hippy soul" should know the best way to get plants (of any kind hehehehehe) to grow indoors is a sodium or metal halide lamp.....they are expensive, but well worth the cost.....the light is the closest to actual sunlight and will cause the plants to literally explode with growth, as well as keeping the soil warm enough to promote fast growth and flowering. keep the light within 18 inches of the top of the plant and raise as necessary.
Reply:you say tth they r all plnted together? they r all probly compeating for space and trying to get th biggest root system goin, plants tht r perminatky in th same pot will not grow tht big because ther roots will get whats called root bound or they become to many, also they dont grow tht much in winter/autom due to low temps
Reply:You will find plants in doors are not effected by outside temp. Think of light and how it effects you, as in day time, night time. So the plant does get some kind light. You can go to a feed and seed store and find a seed pack that gives you the info on the plant. How much water, temp and ect. Over watering is the number one killer of houes plants. Remember you are watering a plant not a pot when watering. Write me if you want to know some other simple tricks on house plants.
Reply:Make a box they can sit in, take up foil and get

one of those photographer lights, but you are going to put a gro light in it, attach the light to the edge of the box and turn it off when it is warm. Plants can get root rot if they are wet all the time in the house. Change the soil using a clean soil you buy at the nursery. Y0u only need on light, unless you also have a MJ plant.

Put a timer on the light so it isn't always on.

It's probalbly warm when you are in the apartment. Take it from an old hippie, your plants will love you. When you water, let the water settle for a few hours to get rid of the cholorine. Give the roots a chance to get some air Not to much water, let the roots dry out, but not enough that the leaves fall off or shrivle up. I hade a hydrophonics system in Nevada, it is so easy and simple find a book on it, plants love the combination of air, water, heat, and sun. But I grew in a summer clime. I have grown plants in a closet and they got to be over six feet. God luck. (peace) as they used to say. right on bro. heh

Oh yeah, plants like food such as nitrogen. Follow the directions. A little once a month will keep them green and the leaves healthy.

barber