It’s been a long time since I’ve talked about the garden. Over the last couple of years, forced indoors because of my scleroderma, I have had to settle for some potted plants out on the back porch. My favorites among these plants have been surviving in the garage during cold snaps and snowstorms, but we have finally reached a point where the cold is too prolonged for that strategy to work any longer. Time for them to come indoors! I gave them all a little spray of neem oil to kill hitchhiking pests, dragged them inside, and put them near windows. Obviously that wouldn’t be enough light for the little rose bushes. You know, the kind that you buy at the grocery store when you meant to just buy bread, milk, and ice cream. I have several pots of those roses and those babies were growing in bright sunshine all summer! Last week I headed on over to my favorite garden center to see what I could do to help my floral buddies survive over the winter in the house.
While I was unpacking the grow light and putting it into the stand I noticed that the light fixture itself was designed to also be attached below ceilings, shelves, cupboards, or some other solid feature. There are two little metal brackets and two screws involved. Hey, this is something I can do. I have more plants needing light! I headed back to the garden center.
I’m pleased with how the plants are managing with the new light, but there is an obvious readjustment going on with the little mini-roses. They are undergoing a transition with their leaves…
I’m pruning the little bushes down to a lower height as they finish up with the last of the summer blooms and the old leaves drop off. There is so much new growth on the stems I’m pretty sure they are going to be fine.
It looks like I’m in business. Winter roses. I may not be able to get outside all that much now, but with the new full spectrum grow lights and the indoor roses it’s like I’ve brought the garden indoors.
Once again, I am knitting in my garden surrounded by my roses.
Take that, scleroderma!
Yarn, Books & Roses 
your garden is beautiful!
Thanks! It was a lot easier to do than I thought it would. I’m considering installing another light onto the that shelf for a couple of other pots. Maybe I should get more roses!!
……….more roses, not sure you could go wrong with that!
I check out the roses every time I go to the grocery store. I could use a nice pink or red rose to add to the golden yellow ones.
You have quite a gift with flowers.
Wow! You have two green thumbs:) The roses are gorgeous. They’ll be even more lovely to see in February when everything is cold and snowy. Enjoy!
Let’s hope that they do bloom in February. That would be so cool!!
A good example of adaptability
Exactly! In my mind I can see the gene switches flipping on and off…
I love the way you’ve managed to still garden with your challenges. Good for you. The grow lights are amazing. Do you time them with the length of days (i.e. keep them on during day light and turn them off at dusk. They’re beautiful.
I am determined to have my roses!! I thought about the timer. Right now I have them on while I’m awake, but maybe I should take them to the length of a midsummer day. I’m letting the roses tell me what they need. 🙂
Good plan. Plants know what they need. They’re our best guide.
Wow, what a green thumb you have. I have also taken your advice and am tying to put a couple of my orchids under a grow light about two to three times per week. The one I have in the kitchen seems very happy with the window light it gets. It has even started a new plant on one of the flower stems. Cool, huh?
Hello. I recently purchased some highfalutin Smart Deals grow lights from China – anyone on the FB telephone app would have seen their ad by now – and I’ve been trying to find info on how to use them properly with my patio roses – so my question is, how long do you keep the lights on them? 24/7?
That’s a good question… I had to go check my timer to get your answer! I have my lights on 14 hours/day, and the roses are doing well.