Maybe try different ways of growing plants. Some of us use semi-hydroponics / hydroculture (see waterroots.com), coir, growing crystals or gels and over the weekend I was reading some things about aeroponics. There is no aggregate growing medium used with aeroponics. The roots are surrounded by air or mist. I think the very tips of the roots are just above water.

It might be fun to experiment with the way you're already doing things.

I've started reading up on outdoor plants as well - somewhat by necessity. My mom and I are trying to figure out what all my late father had all around the house and how to take care of it. He was a real collector-type (i.e., one of each) kind of gardener and not quite as organized as he fancied himself to be. For myself, I'm thinking of trying my hand at container gardens this year. I figure it's a natural step up from houseplants and with containers, you can move them out of reach of the deer (who are entirely to blame for why I no longer have tulips...)

Marijuana is profitable and enjoyable.

I have a small library of plant books going. I like to experiment, but nothing grandiose. Most of my experiments consist of things like "I know I'm not supposed to do this, but let's see if I can get away with it anyway." I would like to become a Certified California Master Gardener, maybe this year? I get the most joy though out of simply taking care of my plants and seeing them thrive.

I read constantly about plants - gardening magazines, books, and web sites especially GardenWeb. I think I've read just about every plant book our public library has, and I own about half of what the bookstores sell! I found the beginner botany books a little tedious but hope to work my way through one eventually.

Back when I had time to do needlework, I often chose to do pictures of plants.

Lately I've been on a plant-themed clothing kick. It started with aloha shirts, then branched out (branched? Get it? Ha ha) into a brown corduroy blazed with a subtle vine print, cardigans with sophisticated leaf designs, tee shirts and sweatshirts with gardening themes or mottos, and any socks I can find with flowers or plants on them. Plant-themed earrings, too!

Starting your own Herbarium can be interesting. When we bought our house I tried to find the name of every plant growing there from trees to the smallest weed. I barely knew a pine tree from a fern when I started! Pressing leaves between the pages of an old phone book or paperback is the simplest method. I suppose you could press the leaves of your houseplants too (except succulents). Labeling them neatly, and adding info such as date collected, when purchased and where... makes it fun to look back later and think "Why, that plant is 10 years old!". Adding the size and cost will startle you years later too...so many tropicals available now so much cheaper. Maybe add photos?

Pressing flowers is fun too, although my love is foliage. There is a Dried Flowers Forum here on GW but it's not very active.

I enjoy books by and about the early plant explorers and the history of gardening. New plants are still being collected today...we can get glimpses thru the writings of nursery owners like Tony Avant at Plant Delights Nursery and the owners of Yucca-Do...plus some of the Botanical Gardens send out collectors. Fascinating to me...even today the travel is arduous and getting viable seed isn't easy. Seeing a new desirable bloom then going back weeks or months later for the seed...just imagine. Then the trials begin as to how best to germinate the precious seed. )I've got two new Asparagus plants though which are more interesting to me because I read of them being found in the wild...LOL).

I collect seedpods and cones, etc. ...even have a strange assortnent from Australia which I traded for some garden books. The variety in colors and shapes and sizes is amazing...and piled in a basket are endlessly amusing to visitors if they're at all interested in gardens.Just think of a Catalpa tree bean or Okra pod to the spiny Sweetgum ball...or Job's Tears or the tiniest of acorns...not to mention the more exotic tropical plants.

As one can tell I'm a plant nut...I just remembered baskets made of various grasses, kudzu, Wisteria vine, rattan, even pineneedles which I've collected. Enough! josh

I do experiments just for the sake of experimentation. Mostly rooting experiments. I am rooting some roses now, I have no no need for additional roses but I am comparing cuttings in the dark with cuttings under a very bright light.

Thanks to all for your replies...I think I will try and experiment a bit with hydroculture in the near future. And reading about the early plant explorers/collectors is a great idea, I'll go to the library this weekend and get something out on this topic, so thanks, Josh! I also loved your idea of a herbarium, that's next. David Attenborough has a great book called "The Private Life of Plants" that I recommend, its full of fascinating stories and little known facts, for those who like to read about plants. Thanks again, everyone!

Great Thread!
Yeah, plants figure largely into my life!
Plant habitats, too. Being out in the wilds is pure worship in the green chapel, or so I've come to believe. Anyhow, a few of my hobbies that involve plants directly are photography, wine-making, craft-work (wreathes of scarlet for autumn Renaissance Faires, et cetera), wood-carving, and plant study (reading about native plants during lunch hour, or during Silent Reading with students in class).

Photography, especially, allows me to share my remote Sierra Nevada experiences with the flat-landers in my region...

Josh

I enjoy reading plant books. Especially when it comes to plant care. It's funny when three authors who discuss the same plant give three totally different opinions.

Keeping a journal is a lot of fun. Eileen, you mention keeping a journal, too..There's so much to write..I've been doing this for years, but in the last six I get a yearly Daily Planner from Birds & Blooms magazine. It's fantastic..in the start of this planner I write the day plants were fertilized, Superthrived and also in bloom..To the right of each month, there's a section with the heading Monthly Reminders, but in this section I jot down plants bought, the exact day, size and the name of nursery.
In the middle section I keep a daily diary..To to the left of each week, the heading is, Backyard Journal..I write what's happening in the garden, growing, dormant, how much snow/rain we got/accumulated, and any outdoor wildlife spotted.
Throughout the book there's tons of info on different plants and animals, gift giving guides, anniversay gifts, b-days, phone numbers, and numerous colored photos..It's nice to go back to say, Apr 1, 2002, and see which plants I bought, what size they were at the time.

I enjoy experimenting, so sowing seeds from store-bought fruits are fun..Also, sowing tropical and succulent seeds are great too. Several plants I have were started from seed.
Now that it's Feb, some cuttings can be taken, so if you want a duplicate plant or want to give one to a friend, it's a good time to start.

Some plants can be fertilized and Superthrived, and even repotted now that daylight is longer. So, purchase and prepare those pots and soils you plan on using.

I sometimes draw blue prints...LOL..plan where a certain plant family will go in the yard, also, if you're going to garden, decide what and where you want to grow.

Of course, there's always picking up a book w/both botanical and common names...memorize each name, and the spelling too..Toni

What a great thread! I love to collect books, especialy about house/tropical plants. Reading about earyl explorers/collectors sounds like a natural that I'd not thought of before. I guess I'm heading to the library this weekend. Josh I really like the idea of collecting seed pods and the like. I love trees and plan on trying to take photos even though I'm not a photographer by any streach of the imagination.

Vic

Your plant journal sounds great , Toni, it gave me some ideas to add to mine...I basically just jot down what's going on with the plants, how they seem to be doing, how they are responding to care, etc. I have a separate "workbook" with dates of plant purchases, when I fertilize and water, repot and so forth, soil mixes I've tried...its a lot of fun, and I love to write. In the day to day journal, I add pictures of plants printed from the Internet or Print Shop every 5 or 6 pages. Greenman, I'd love to see pics of your scarlet wreathes and wood carvings, I wish I had the talent for crafts. I'm fortunate enough to live near the NY Botanical Garden, and they have all kinds of classes, I am planning on taking some. Vic_nic, I have a collection of books also, and love reading and rereading them; like Toni, I am perplexed and amused by the conflicting advice!

Can't resist mentioning you can even grow your own jewelry...Job's Tears are seeds which look like alabaster or ivory, usually varying shades of white, cream, grey, tan sometimes all on the same tiny spherical seed. If you have a 10" pot and a sunny spot outside you can harvest them next fall. Great kid's project too. josh P.S. This site is worth exploring...lots of interesting tidbits on plants.

Here is a link that might be useful: Job's Tears

Photography - a natural choice with plants -

Eileen, oh, taking classes sounds great..if only there was a nearby center around my place..

Marguerite, are you the same Marguerite from Ireland who hung around here a few years 4-5 years ago??? Toni

My hobbies that stem from being a plantaholic are macrame and hypertufa. You have to put them in someting! Anita

Scanning through it appears that no one has mentioned ceramics. I once wanted some flower pots so I joined a ceramics class to learn to make them myself. I didn't do to well but my spouse made some rather fine pots.

Ceramics is a great idea, Albert, I would love to make some of my own decorated pots...I will have to google that and see what I come up with. Thanks!

Bonsai i love it!!