Thinking spring

The above photo is a melampodium plant that I am also growing indoors this winter.

The plant is:
Family: Asteraceae (ass-ter-AY-see-ee)
Genus: Melampodium (mel-am-POH-dee-um)
Species: paludosum (pal-oo-DOH-sum)
Cultivar: Showstar

The seeds were purchased in the spring of 2009, and I attempted to grow them outside in a flower bed, however insects destroyed the plants before they had a chance to flower.

Another plus for indoor hydroponic gardening is not having to deal with bugs! Flowers can really attain their full potential when grown indoors hydroponically. The zinnia I wrote of previously continues to produce so many buds that we have a small vase full of flowers to enjoy on our dining table each day.

Two varieties of marigold, a calendula, and a dozen bulbs are presently beginning to bud, so we will have a continuous supply of flowers for quite sometime. They certainly make January in the northeast more bearable.