Hello, I have an interest in having a few live plants on my boat. Given that I don't have a green thumb on land, I haven't a clue where to start. What are some live plants that will do well on a boat - inside? Where are good places to put the plants? Hanging? In pots? Thank you in advance. Jack Friendship C350
Live plants
- Thread starter Jack4865
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Jack, start at home. First of all plants need
water as often as you do. Most of them need some sunlight. Given the right conditions any plant will prosper in a pot. Given the wrong conditions and you can kill anything. Unless you are on your boat every day don't try to keep any plants.
water as often as you do. Most of them need some sunlight. Given the right conditions any plant will prosper in a pot. Given the wrong conditions and you can kill anything. Unless you are on your boat every day don't try to keep any plants.
PLANTS
Plants onboard are great! A touch of life in a sea of cabin fiberglass. Like home houseplants I like ones that will survive with practically no maintenance. I tried a spider plant and its still alive going on two years. I only get to the boat about once a week and it gets water if I remember it. Many plants do better on less water. It is on a shelf near a smoke plastic portlight. Not much light. Once it went 4 weeks without water and it almost froze. Like any place else the plants life will depend on water, light and temperature. Try different ones and see what lives. Spider, cactus and ivy can be tough.
Plants onboard are great! A touch of life in a sea of cabin fiberglass. Like home houseplants I like ones that will survive with practically no maintenance. I tried a spider plant and its still alive going on two years. I only get to the boat about once a week and it gets water if I remember it. Many plants do better on less water. It is on a shelf near a smoke plastic portlight. Not much light. Once it went 4 weeks without water and it almost froze. Like any place else the plants life will depend on water, light and temperature. Try different ones and see what lives. Spider, cactus and ivy can be tough.
You have some easy choices here.
Sweet potato plant. Start it at home, take a sweet potato, stick toothpicks on the sides and put it in a glass of water. Leaves will come out and go up, and roots will go down. Once it gets started, take the toothpicks out, put the potato in a plastic bag, fill the bag with water, and twist tie it at the top so water wont spill out while sailing. The water will last for quite a while, so just refill it the next time you get back to the boat. The green vines will grow very nicely, and grow very long. Air plants. The kind you will often see at a state fair. It sort of looks like a small bits of limbs from a pine tree. It lives without dirt, and can lives a long time without water. Just soak it in water when you remember it, and every year, with luck, it will flower. I've taken a bunch of them and attach them to a chunk of driftwood using some hot glue. When I remember it, I just soak the whole driftwood in the sink for 1/2 hour. I have gone over a month without watering it, and it still flowers once in a while. Tomatoes. Of course, I have a live aboard friend who grows bush tomatoes on the boat. They strap it to a stanchion, and the rain waters it sometimes. The tomatoes will even stay on while under sail, if they are not too ripe.
Sweet potato plant. Start it at home, take a sweet potato, stick toothpicks on the sides and put it in a glass of water. Leaves will come out and go up, and roots will go down. Once it gets started, take the toothpicks out, put the potato in a plastic bag, fill the bag with water, and twist tie it at the top so water wont spill out while sailing. The water will last for quite a while, so just refill it the next time you get back to the boat. The green vines will grow very nicely, and grow very long. Air plants. The kind you will often see at a state fair. It sort of looks like a small bits of limbs from a pine tree. It lives without dirt, and can lives a long time without water. Just soak it in water when you remember it, and every year, with luck, it will flower. I've taken a bunch of them and attach them to a chunk of driftwood using some hot glue. When I remember it, I just soak the whole driftwood in the sink for 1/2 hour. I have gone over a month without watering it, and it still flowers once in a while. Tomatoes. Of course, I have a live aboard friend who grows bush tomatoes on the boat. They strap it to a stanchion, and the rain waters it sometimes. The tomatoes will even stay on while under sail, if they are not too ripe.
Pathos are very forgiving
plants and will tolerate low light and infrequent waterings. As an extra bonus they will root easily for even more plants. I would hang it with a plastic drip pan that actually hangs from the pot. The drip pans are available from Home Depot for a couple of bucks.
plants and will tolerate low light and infrequent waterings. As an extra bonus they will root easily for even more plants. I would hang it with a plastic drip pan that actually hangs from the pot. The drip pans are available from Home Depot for a couple of bucks.
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