Waterproof mat for Akerbar large?

Well, I thought I'd sufficiently sealed my Akerbar (25.25" size) with silicone sealant to keep it from leaking between the frame and the bottom tray. Turns out, I did not! Or perhaps the sealant separated a bit.

Regardless, I need a waterproof mat that I can set it on so that if any more water leaks out of the bottom, it won't spill all over my dining table (where the greenhouse lives) and the floor beneath.

There are tons of options on Amazon for products like this, with a raised edge to keep spills in place. Most seem to be either for use as pet feeding mats, or undersink mats. They're great, except none of them have suitable proportions - I'd like one that's just a bit larger than the footprint of the greenhouse, but most of the ones I'm finding that are long enough are way too deep.

The best options I've found thus far are rubber boot trays. Those do come in the right proportions, more or less... but they're not very attractive, and I eat at this table. Anyone have eyes on a silicone mat with a raised edge that's a good size for this particular greenhouse? Thanks in advance!

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u/rtthrowawayyyyyyy — 6 days ago
▲ 13 r/hoyas

Incoming blooms on callistophylla and polyneura outer variegated

Double duncs on the polyneura! They'll be its first blooms. Callistophylla is blooming on an existing dunc, but it'll be the first bloom in my care. I've never seen blooms on either species in person.

u/rtthrowawayyyyyyy — 27 days ago

Kelpak/rooting hormones in Aerogarden?

Hi folks, I'm new to this sub and Aerogardening. I've been growing lots of other plants for a handful of years, though mostly ornamental. I have pretty limited experience growing food crops.

I recently got myself a Bounty Basic for the purpose of growing fresh leafy greens on my countertop, and it's going pretty well so far. One thing I haven't seen much talk of, though: does anyone use Kelpak or other seaweed extracts (or synthetic plant hormones, for that matter) in their hydroponic setups? I just got a bottle of the stuff, primarily for my orchids, but even the smallest bottle goes a really long way, so I have plenty. I understand it's mostly marketed as being helpful for agricultural crops, so I would imagine it'd be great in further boosting the kale, lettuce, etc that I'm growing... but I don't know if that's an issue either for the pump/filter, or for EC/TDS concerns (the latter of which, frankly, I don't entirely understand).

Any feedback from folks who've tried Kelpak or similar products would be welcome. Thanks!

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u/rtthrowawayyyyyyy — 1 month ago
▲ 45 r/orchids

Phal. tetraspis/speciosa 'Purple Mountain'

Got this guy a month or so ago with two big ol spikes. It's now got 10 open flowers with various petal coloration. The color is excellent (even if the plant itself is a bit scruffy). Very light, pleasantly floral fragrance.

u/rtthrowawayyyyyyy — 1 month ago
▲ 188 r/Irises+1 crossposts

ID request - blue and violet beardless variety

I've been admiring these irises for a couple of years now. They're growing outside of a house in my partner's neighborhood, but I don't know the occupants and they never seem to be outside, so. 🤷‍♂️

Anyway, does this variety look familiar to anyone? The flowers are already fading a bit, but the blue in the centers is more pronounced when they're at the peak of their bloom. That combo of blue and violet, as well as the very attractive growth habit, really speaks to me, and I'd love to find one that I can grow myself. The stand is probably about 18" high, if that helps.

Thanks in advance! I don't know a whole lot about irises but I always enjoy em, especially beardless varieties.

u/rtthrowawayyyyyyy — 2 months ago
▲ 65 r/orchids

Some recent reblooms

Phal. Sweet Memory 'Liodoro', Phal. Cornu-cervi 'Red', Den. Willette Klausner Super Nova, and C. Seagulls Robin x Cernua.

I've posted most of these before (the cattleya just bloomed a couple of months ago), but things seem to be going well, I guess!

Should have a nice little batch of oncidiums blooming for me in a month or so. 🤞

u/rtthrowawayyyyyyy — 2 months ago
▲ 99 r/Roses

First bloom on this plant's second year. My first and only rose that I've grown to date (if I ever have more space, I'm sure I'll grow some more).

I definitely made some errors with the off-season care, which I think led to a bit of an awkward shape and what I believe to be a minor bout of black spot (I've been treating with fungicide and it seems to be subsiding).

Regardless, I remain very happy with this one. The velvety magenta-to-plum colors are almost unreal in their saturation, and the fragrance is perfect.

u/rtthrowawayyyyyyy — 2 months ago
▲ 30 r/orchids

Second bloom on this one for me, after having gotten it late last summer. The first spike opened the older flower, which is basically chartreuse, about a month ago. Then this bud developed late, before opening into this burgundy flower probably yesterday.

I find it really interesting to see how the petals/sepals change color AND shape as they age. They start pretty much flat, but recurve over the course of a couple of weeks.

This is a seed-grown plant from SVO. I'm curious to hear if other folks growing this grex have similar experiences with the changing flowers.

u/rtthrowawayyyyyyy — 2 months ago
▲ 21 r/orchids

Primary hybrid of B. nodosa and B. perrinii, grown by SVO. Second blooming on this guy - I only got it in August of last year!

The fragrance is kind of a dry floral scent - hard to put my finger on it, but maybe reminiscent of daylilies and/or hyacinths? It's pleasant enough, but I'll be honest, it's not my favorite. It's 100% brassavola, so it's only fragrant at night.

u/rtthrowawayyyyyyy — 2 months ago