What about those nurseries that grow their plants in containers, outside? Gardenias (for example) do perfectly fine under such conditions, tolerating the southern summer heat and freezing temperatures. Yet, they maintain their color.

Just wanted to give you something else to fret about. ;-)

I hate you rhizzo!!!lololol

Ok...
It looks like I am never going to find out...Not just me, but all my friends that know what I am talking about.
They will never look as DARK green as the ones I buy at Home depot, or the nurseries, because no one here has any concrete answers..

Guess I will have to keep experimenting!

I think everyone skirts the issue, and are afraid to ask, because I really think no one here REALLY knows and those that ask the question will be misunderstood or seem like they are babbling.... No one really gets it..Oh well..:-)

I will have to stick with healhy light green plants then, one that will never flower as profusely as the ones that I buy...

I will have to keep searching somewhere else for the secret or solution...

Thanks anyways!

Can I pls. point out that you have given this all of TWO days? And that's TWO days where apparently GW is having MASSIVE technical problems. Yet you have already determined you are NEVER going to find out.

Guess what, you might as well stop looking as you've just stated you're NEVER going to find out. You've already determined your own outcome, so you might as well stop looking.

I don't know that there's any connection here, he fertilizer & the temps. While I don't wish to be mean, rude or disrespectful, I don't know how else to say this. You appear to be picking nits & looking for problems, in which case one can't be surprised to find them.

I conclude by reminding us all (myself included) that like people, plants are not perfect. If one keeps focusing on ALL the tiny little things which may or may not be problematic, one misses out on the far larger & greater aspect of how amazing the plants really are & w/ a bit of effort how things go largely right.

OK, semi rant over -- I just couldn't hold that in anymore.

meyermike 1micha, Justus von Liebig was a German chemist who lived from 1803 to 1873. No! I did not know him personally; but his formulation of the "Law of the Minimum" and its importance in agriculture made a tremendous and lasting impression on me. Wikipedia has the traditional diagram of the 'barrel with different-length staves' which illustrates the ramifications of this principle. If you look it up, you will appreciate the enormity of your question(s). I would like very much to engage your thoughts on this fascinating subject but man, I do not know where to start.

I don't mean to be disrepectful, but I have been asking this question all over for quite sometime,for weeks in fact, and the only ones that know what I am striving for are the friends that I have outside this particular forum.
They too would like to know why, and I have been giving lots of time for someone here to show me and them the way.
Just once PG, can you let me vent my frustration out on not achieving a goal without attacking it?
Don't you ever get disappointed?
My plants are still light green after all these posts I have been asking for help with this, amking them dark green like the stores do, along with others looking for the same results.
I am sorry if I am not happy with reaching this goal and having an unsympethetic response from you of all people, who I am sure would love to see your leaves dark green too bothers me. I thought this forum was for asking for help ?
If yours are deep green, pg, then why don't you show me some kindness and share your secret, or coach me along with the patience such as Al has!. Isn't that why you come here, to help us?

When was the last time you said anything nice to me????

A lot of factors haven't been given, like what kind of plants we're talking about, what kind of fertilizer used how strong and how often, what kind of light said plant has, are trace elements given? Light is a big factor when you're talking fertilizer, temps do have a lot to do with it, but cool summer nights are not as harmful as cold winter nights, because there still is light provided. Even in the wild, plants experience fluxes of temps, but the light usually doesn't change all that much unless there is cloud cover or fog, then the ground stays warmer than with clear skys. It all balances out in the long run.

So to answere your question, (or what I think is the question because in all your posts you've not asked a specific question) yes, plants raised in greenhouses are always going to look nicer than those which weren't, but in time those which were greenhouse grown will go into decline because plants just don't grow in perfect sterile enviroments. They are more disease prone and fail all to quickly compared to plants which are grown in cold frames or outside.

Massive temperature swings are sort of bad for plants in general, fertilizer or no fertilizer. Especially if you grow them inside all year and then take them outside.

Also, I just looked up Liebig's Loaw of the Minimum. That applies to a lot of stuff that's not agricultural, like computer resources. Thanks for pointing this out!

Mike,

Pls. be reminded that you recently expressed surprise at what you said was how healthy my plants looked when I recently started posting photos. Remember, there was a shot of Stephanotis seedlings & a couple of other shots, maybe a ZZ plant & something else, I forget. I was suprised at your comment, didn't know what you meant (say growing apartment vs. house or indoor vs. outdoor).

Yes, of course I too get disappointed. I've got the pathetic remnants of an AV on my windowsill as we speak. Another AV bites the dust at my house.

I observe, troubleshoot, try to imagine a correction &/or remedy (in this case w/out success ... sigh ...). I take a deep breath, devise a new strategy & move on.

I really need to stop buying AVs.

Mike,
Please keep in mind many of us have been on this forum for what seems like a hundred years, helping others. I've been here in one form or another for almost 14 years, PG has been here just as long, if not longer. We've seen people come and go and some even become experts in what they grow. While there is no dumb question, you can learn a lot by just doing a search. I'm sure the answer to your questions have been posted many times over.

[...] those that ask the question will be misunderstood or seem like they are babbling....

FWIW, I don't think you're babbling, but you do seem to ramble sometimes. Personally, I found the first post of this topic hard to follow: it was very stream-of-consciousness and first it was about temperatures, then about fertilizers. While they were connected, the post didn't ask one question but several, here and there, and also seemed to answer them in the next breath.

There's the question of dark versus light green leaves. This has to do with chlorophyl (of course) which in turn is affected by light levels and nutrients, I should think. I used to believe that light green leaves meant not enough light, but now I've read that it's the opposite, that with high light intensity, the plant needs less chlorophyl; I admit I'm not sure what to think anymore.

Then there's the question of whether the temperature affects nutrient uptake. That's a matter of chemistry and I know there are those around here who are quite good at that. My gut feeling is that temperatures would have to be pretty extreme for it to have any significant effect, but I could be wrong.

On the perceived rambling, if you want I suggest trying to edit for succinctness and/or clarity. It might help people to better understand your questions and where they're coming from, thus being better able (and more likely) to respond.

And while it might sound like it, I'm not trying to be preachy or patronizing, just helpful.

I CANNOT believe you actually said this:

"When was the last time you said anything nice to me????"

but since you did, here's a real direct answer.

May 7, 2009,

(sorry I don't know how to post a link, for the real thing, it's about 2 pages back now, includes pix of my youngster) please see below:

"How long does it take to root one of these?

Brought to you by clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings
Posted by meyermike_1micha 5 (My Page) on Thu, May 7, 09 at 19:05

I have had a cutting, or leaf of a ZZ plant sitting in water for over 3 months now. It is alive and well, but no roots..Weird.

How long does it take to root, if at all?
That leaf looks so healthy still...
Thanks..

Follow-Up Postings:
RE: How long does it take to root one of these? Brought to you by
clip this post email this post what is this?
see most clipped and recent clippings

Posted by pirate_girl Zone7 NYC (My Page) on Thu, May 7, 09 at 22:07

Hi Mike,
It can take quite some time. I've rooted leaves in mix, that can take around a year. I've recently water rooted a stem, but didn't make note of the date I put it up.

I took these pix, 'cause they show the round tuber AND the roots the plant develops. I really don't remember how long it took, but am guessing 9 months maybe, like from last Fall (I think I had accidentally broken the stem off the parent plant).

and

and

So if you can grow some serious patience, you might end up w/ something like this.

I think I'll take mine to my local Plant Society to pass around & show this development & then sell it at their plant sale table for a couple of bucks.
----------------------------------------------------------- RE: How long does it take to root one of these? Brought to you by
clip this post email this post what is this?
see most clipped and recent clippings

Posted by pattirose4 (My Page) on Fri, May 8, 09 at 12:41

I rooted a quite few a couple years ago and they are easy to root - it just takes forever, LOL! I rooted some cuttings in water and some leaves in soil but it did take more than 6 months. I now have a lovely little plant about 4" tall.

After you plant it in soil the cutting or leaf will eventually die off and a new shoot will emerge.
---------------------
RE: How long does it take to root one of these? Brought to you by
clip this post email this post what is this?
see most clipped and recent clippings

Posted by meyermike_1micha 5 (My Page) on Sun, May 10, 09 at 17:58

Wow pirate girl,
The waiting was definately worth the results! That plant is so cute. Sounds like they take as long as a pregnacy for a women, almost 9 months..lol

Thanks for sharing. It tells me that my waiting is worth it, and that it just may continue to live.
Yes I am encouraged. I didn't want to loose it
I will post a pic just as soon as I see a root...

Pattirose4, thanks for sharing also.

Take care and stay happy!!
Thank goodness the spring has arrived..:-)
---------------------
RE: How long does it take to root one of these? Brought to you by
clip this post email this post what is this?
see most clipped and recent clippings

Posted by pirate_girl Zone7 NYC (My Page) on Tue, May 19, 09 at 13:40

Bringing this back up as this very question is being asked at another thread. ""

* * * * * * * * *

You'll Pls. Note Mike, there is not ONE off note in any of my comments here.

Thanks everyone...

PG..You didn't have to prove anything.
I really don't believe you were trying to do anything but be helpful..Just a misinterpatation on my part that sometimes can happen to any of us when not talking face to face..
I already opologized yesterday as soon as I left off posting yesterday in my mind. Now I am just getting a quick moment to say so...
My visit to the hospital to see my father these past few days has not been to good.
Sorry for a not so carefully well thought out thread...
I think I interjected a little frustration with my parents health along with those of my plants on this one...;-(.
Sorry,
Sorry Pg and to anyone else here if I came across being anything but pleasant...

Mike..:-)