Suitable Plants for Crystal Soil & Hydroculture

Crystal Soil PlantI have a friend asked me if she could plant her basil and mint in these colorful crystal soil beads. Although crystal soil is suitable for many indoor houseplants, especially foliage plants, I wouldn’t recommend my friend to plant her herbs in crystal soil. This is because while most herb plants love sunlight, crystal soil is not suitable to leave under direct sunlight for a long period of time.

But if you want to grow a plant that needs lots of sunlight with crystal soil, you can cover the crystal beads with a dark cloth to avoid them from drying out too quickly. However, this may have defeated the decoration purpose in the first place.

Many plants that thrive in crystal soil are hydroculture plants.  For example, many foliage plants that like shade and humidity are the most suitable to grow in crystal soil or to root in water. And here are some examples.

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They Just Want More Water!

Indoor Gardening - Water NeedsDifferent plants have different watering needs and light requirements.  And placing my beet and golden spikemoss next to my african violets, cactus, and succulents sometimes makes me forget to water them as frequent as I should (excuse, excuse…)

Indoor Gardening - Water Needs Indoor Gardening - Water Needs

A few days ago, I found the leaves of my beet were all weak and sad.  At first, I guessed that it might be due to insufficient sunlight.   Continue reading They Just Want More Water!

Tabletop Garden – After Jurassic x Dragonball

Tabletop Garden - After Jurassic x Dragonball

I am just being playful there and stole some action figures from my brother and put them in my Tabletop Garden – After Jurassic.  It is quite cool and I will probably do more.  Maybe as my brother’s request, I will make a garden suitable for my brother’s Gundam action figures. haha 😀

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Tabletop Garden – Ocean Breeze

Tabletop Garden - Ocean Breeze

Tabletop Garden - Ocean BreezeInstead of soil, I have used crystal soil as the growing medium for this tabletop garden – Ocean Breeze.  Crystal soil makes good home decorations.  It involves no dirt, is pest free, and easy in maintenance.  And with food coloring, you can make the clear crystal soil beans in any color you want.

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Tabletop Garden – Kung Hei Fat Choi!

tabletop garden cny 02

A tabletop garden is a wonderful home decor item. And if you make your tabletop garden simple enough to alter and customize, it can be an excellent themed decoration in your home for many festival seasons.

The Chinese New Year of 2009 came earlier than usual, and the New Year’s Day of the Year of Ox fell on the 26th of January. So, instead of throwing away my Christmas-themed tabletop garden, I gathered some Chinese New Year decorations and reassembled the tabletop garden, and put together a tabletop garden of Chinese New Year theme.

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Why is Hydroculture So Good?

Hydroculture (a.k.a. passive hydroponics) is the practice of cultivating plants without the use of soil.  Because of the ease of maintenance and its many other advantages over soil, it is a perfect way for indoor gardening.

So why is hydroculture so good?

Healthier

pest-problems

  • Reduce allergy – no more spores, mold, mildew that are found in soil
  • Pest free – no centipedes, sow bugs, worms or other soil pests
  • Reduce odor

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The 5 Components of Hydroculture Kit

hydroculture-system-01Here are the five main components of a hydroculture system.

Plant

Many houseplants can grow nicely in a hydrocultural environment.

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What is Hydroculture?

hydroculture-plant-04Sometimes, hydroculture is called the passive hydroponics. It is like the little brother of hydroponics – with smaller containers, simpler solution, and a cheaper and less complicated system. While hydroculture likes hydroponics, can be used for growing vegetables that we can buy in supermarkets, hydroculture is more for houseplants and for the fun of indoor gardening.

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Watering Hydroculture Plants

hydroculture-plant-03How long a plant lives in a water culture greatly depends on the water source. Water should keep fresh and nutritious, for plants need mineral nutrients to grow healthy.

When roots become deficient in mineral nutrients, particularly calcium and boron, which are required in the external solution for normal functioning of roots, the roots die and decay. Continue reading Watering Hydroculture Plants

Hydroculture – Water Roots vs Soil-Grown Roots

Hydroculture plants are houseplants that grown in water, and the roots of these plants are called water roots.  Water Roots differ from soil-grown roots. Water roots often seem to be more brittle than soil-grown ones. This may due to the bigger aerenchyma – the airy tissue found in roots of plants that allows exchange . . . → Read More: Hydroculture – Water Roots vs Soil-Grown Roots