HelpfulGardener.com

A few months ago I was looking at my tree and wondered why some parts of the tree had new buds breaking all the time, while other parts stagnated. I had the idea that maybe it had something to do with light. I devised a little experiment to see if I could get a part of my tree to grow that had been stunted since the summertime.

Hypothesis: light makes trees grow

Methods:
I used a very high tech method of pointing my lamp at it.

[img]https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v144/JTsoccer59/4-28-11012.jpg[/img]

Results:
Pre lamp exposure No change from January 2, 2011-March 9, 2011
Jan
[img]https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v144/JTsoccer59/1-2-2010011.jpg[/img]
March
[img]https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v144/JTsoccer59/Airroot0013-9-11.jpg[/img]
[img]https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v144/JTsoccer59/Airroot0023-9-11.jpg[/img]
(Note the salt stain on the bottom left leaf)

Approx. 1 month of lamp exposure: March 4, 2011
[img]https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v144/JTsoccer59/Airroot0044-4-11.jpg[/img]
[img]https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v144/JTsoccer59/4-6-11003.jpg[/img]

April 28, 2011
[img]https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v144/JTsoccer59/4-28-11006.jpg[/img]
[img]https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v144/JTsoccer59/4-28-11007.jpg[/img]

The short story: it worked.

I realized later that it should have been obvious that light would make buds break, but I was just glad to get this part of the tree to grow. Being a scientifically minded person, I recognize the fact that it's just as likely that it would have exploded into growth on its own, but I'd like to think I helped.

Conclusion: This experiment sheds light (pun intended) on indoor growing techniques and offers a solution to problems with poor growth on lower branches. It also introduces a new technique of training I like to call "spotlighting" for encouraging extra growth in areas needing greater ramification, branch thickening, or "catching up". It would probably be best used in conjunction with sufficient overhead lighting (which I don't have).

Thanks for entertaining my brief, tongue-in-cheek foray into biology and horticulture. I'll be moseying on back to psychology now where I belong. Here's an extra treat for playing along.

[img]https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v144/JTsoccer59/4-28-11005.jpg[/img]

My next topic is an entrepreneurial effort in cloning, genetics, archaeology, and mass marketing.

OK - you're "toying" with us right?

Did no one else pick up on this?

So, what breed of baby dino do you have started in the jar?

Gottaluvit!

Please, please, PLEASE don't go wandering off into psychology. I'll be very happy reading more of your lab reports. Very funny. Tell us about your terrarium. I hope you weren't kidding about your next topic. Send me the link when you get around to it.

The terrariums... they didn't work out so well. The moss dried up pretty quickly and I gave up. they were boring anyhow, there was nothing to prune!

In other news, I'm continuing my "spotlighting" technique. I'm using it to try to thicken up and grow out my first branch, it tends to get overshadowed by the third branch. I'm going to push my technique until it's a bona fide bonsai technique, or until everyone regards me as a crazy person.

JTred wrote:The terrariums... they didn't work out so well. The moss dried up pretty quickly and I gave up. they were boring anyhow, there was nothing to prune!

In other news, I'm continuing my "spotlighting" technique. I'm using it to try to thicken up and grow out my first branch, it tends to get overshadowed by the third branch. I'm going to push my technique until it's a bona fide bonsai technique, or until everyone regards me as a crazy person.

Oh don't worry too much. You can talk to and listen to your plants at ease.

Now, when the trees start giving you comands that compel you to do non-gardening "things", then worry.

Very gratifying results, very entertaining reportage.