Indoor plants as air filters

Reblogged from Greenophilic:

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Indoor plants not only look great, they can also help clear your house of common environmental pollutants.

Using indoor plants to clear the air

There’s nothing quite like the scent of forest air – the real thing, not an air freshener .

While some of that lovely earthy scent is due to decomposition, the trees and plants of a forest are constantly circulating oxygen and carbon dioxide, unlike in the midst of a concrete jungle when the air we breathe can get somewhat stale or downright poisonous.

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Very interesting post. I like that you stated your original source of data. I will share this will my students.

Gardens Organization

Planning a Garden - Florida Garden Calendar

Good gardening requires good organization. The following chart will help students plan tasks to be done between now and the harvest of each vegetable.

Spring Planting – March 15, 2012

Seed
Days to Germination:
Expected Date
Depth to Sow (in)
Seed Spacing (in)
Row Spacing (in)
Days to Harvest:
Expected Date
Carrot – scarlet nantes
12-18
(3/27)
¼
½
12-15
60-80
(5/15)
Radish – sparkler white tip
7-10
3/22)
¼
½-1
6-12
20-30
(4/5)
Pepper – California wonder
10-21
(3/28)
¼
1
2-21/2
70-75
(5/25)
Tomato –
beefsteak
15-20
(3/30)
¼
½
36
55-6
(5/10)

Carrots

  • Sow in well worked stone-fee soil, after danger of heavy frost.
  • Thin seedlings when the are 2-3 inches in height, with the final spacing of the plants 3 inches apart.
  • Garden Hints: thin ruthlessly. If your carrots are to grow well they must have room. The garden should receive an inch of water per week.

Radish

  • Sow in sunny location as soon as the soil can be worked.
  • Thin seedlings when they are 2 inches in height with the final spacing of the plants 1-2 inches apart.
  • Garden Hints: Keep moist, lack of moisture will case hot flavor and woody texture.

Pepper

  • Sow seed indoors about 4-6 weeks before last frost date and transplant outdoors after danger of frost. In warm climates seeds may be down directly outdoors.
  • Thin seedlings when they are 3 inches in height with the final spacing of the plants 15-20 inches apart.
  • Garden Hints: Fruits can be picked green or allowed to ripen to the sweeter red stage.

Tomato

  • Sow seed indoors in a warm, well-lighted area, 8-10 weeks before last frost. In warm climates seeds may be sown directly outdoors.
  • Thin seedlings when they are 3 inches in height with the final spacing of the plants 3 feet apart.
  • Keep moist. Your garden should receive about an inch of water per week.

Marigold: Gypsy Sunshine

  • Dwarf bush plants are loaded with golden-yellow, double flowers.
  • Sow in place in spring, or start plants indoors and grow for several weeks, setting out after last frost, transplanting carefully.
  • Plants require full sun, rich soil and moderate soil moisture.
  • Space plants about 12 inches apart.
  • Picking spent booms prolongs bloom season.

Dianthus: Romance Mixture

  • Hardy perennial. Plant fall or spring. A fine strain of single-flowered pinks with a very broad color range. this species was introduced from Europe during colonial times.
  • Like full sun and a moist, well-draining soil, which need not be especially rich. Sow seeds either indoors early and plant out or directly into the garden after frost danger has passed. Barely cover the tiny seeds and keep evenly moist until germination occurs and plants are well established.
  • Mulching keeps the weeds from overwhelming the delicate plants which are otherwise quite hardy

Knockout Winter Roses

The knockout roses love this Florida weather. Instead of suffering from the Fl winter cold they are thriving in the Fl winter slightly cooler than usual but certainly not winter weather. Several that haven’t bloomed in over a month are looking lovely!!

 Knockout Rose