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                                               Intro Mary Garden

Indoor Dish Mary Garden Planting & Care

Growth. Plants grow by manufacturing food (sugar and starch) from
absorbed water, nutrients, carbon dioxide and light in daytime, and
by utilizing this food at nights at lower temperatures, with
absorbtion of oxygen.

Air provides carbon dioxide to plant leaves, oxygen to leaves and
roots, and nitrogen (through the agency of water and soil bacteria)
to the roots.

Soil provides plant roots with support, water, nutrients and air.
Outdoors, fine clay soils are preferred where it is desired to
retain and draw up moisture, and coarse sandy soils where it is
desired to drain off moisture and let in air.  Indoors, where
watering can be controlled closely a medlum textured soil is
desired which will retain moisture for at least a day and also
permit good air penetration while moist.  A good basic soil mixture
for indoor dish gardens is 1/2 fine sand (salt free) and 1/2 milled
sphagnum moss.

Nutrients required for plant growth can be provided in a
water-soluble fertilizer supplied every several weeks during
watering; in a slowly soluble dry fertilizer blended with the basic
soil mix; or in organic loam, compost or humus mixed in with the
basic soil mix in a proportion of 1/3.  Nutrients include nitrogen,
potassium, phosphorus and, in lesser amounts, calcium, iron,
sulphur and magnesium.  Also required are trace elements, normally
present in sufficient amounts in water, soil and the other
nutrients: boron, zinc, manganese, copper, molybdenum, chromium,
cobalt, nickle, aluminum and sodium.

Planting. Select a small figure of the Virgin or Virgin and Child
and a dish or other container at least 3" deep, of a size suited to
the figure. Decide whether you will place your garden in a North,
East, South or West window, and, using the list of House Plants of
Our Lady below, choose and procure plants suitable for this
location which can be composed in artistic and symbolical unity
with the figure.  Then place a 1/4" layer of charcoal chips or
pellets at the bottom of the container for absorbtion of excess
toxic amounts of nutrients or other salts which may accumulate.
Fill with soil mixture to 5/6 the height of the container (to 1/2"
below the trim of a 3" container), position the religious figure,
and plant the plants, allowing a soil space around each of 1-1/2
times the diameter of its root mass.  Firm the soils; water once;
and keep in the shade for 3 days.  Then move to the planned window
location and tend daily.

Watering. Add water by filling the space fully from the top of the
soil to the rim of the container whenever the soil is found to be
dry on inspection at morning or early afternoon.  When tapped with
a hard object a container will respond with a "rap" when the soil
is still moist below the surfaces and with a "ring" when it has
dried.  Inexpensive indicators are available to show soil moisture
and dryness.  Wash and brush off any insects with spray at sink.

Watching. The best available conditions of light, temperature and
humidity in your house (and outdoors in warm weather) for your
House Plants of Our Lady must be found by watching growth and
making changes it is judged will help it.  Favorable conditions
will result in vigorous, healthy growth and blooms.  Unfavorable
conditions can be recognized as follows: Insufficient light causes
rapid but pale and spindly growth; low light, few blooms; and
excessive light, burning of foliage (brown or white patches).
Insufficient humidity and/or soil moisture causes wilting or drying
of foliage; excessive humidity, flabby growth; excessive soil
moisture, slow root growth or rotting of root tips (causing
browning of foliage tips).  Freezing usually kills; insufficient
heat retards growth; end excessive heat produces distorted or
accelerated growth.

Rest.  Most plants require 8 to 10 weeks rest period each year,
corresponding to the cold or dry periods in their native habitats.
When plant growth slows and stops, reduce temperature, light,
moisture and nutrients for 8 to 10 weeks. Then resume normal care
for a new cycle of growth.  Prune roots and shoots, as required at
start of growth period to retain desired size.


Light.  In practice plants are sufficiently adaptable to permit
cultlvation in one or more window locations in the average house.


For suggested use in devotion, prayer and meditation, see
My Garden Prays


Copyright Mary's Gardens, 1965, 1996