I've had a bird of paradise for about 4 yrs now. This past summer it has done better than any other. Well, it has put on more leaves and only lost one or two. It has never bloomed, but I'll settle for solid growth first. Since I have moved it in for the winter, it has developed some brown patches on a couple of the leaves. I have it around grow lights, however I have never been able to successfully use them. It is a good distance away from the lights and I'm not sure if they are the cause of the damage. Any help or advice would be very much appreciated. Thanks in advance.

If there’s one trio that defines holiday cooking, it’s rosemary, sage, and thyme. They smell like Christmas, elevate almost every winter dish, and lucky for container gardeners — they can all be grown indoors with a little care. But here’s the truth: Many holiday herb pots don’t make it past New Year’s… not because gardeners did anything “wrong,” but because winter conditions are tricky. Let’s make sure your Holiday Herb Trio stays healthy, flavorful, and growing well beyond the holidays. 🌱 𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐓𝐫𝐢𝐨 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐬 (𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐠𝐠𝐥𝐞𝐬) 𝐈𝐧𝐝𝐨𝐨𝐫𝐬 Rosemary, sage, and thyme all prefer: * Bright light * Excellent drainage * Slightly drier soil than summer herbs * Cooler temperatures What they don’t love: * Soggy soil * Low light * Warm, stuffy rooms * Overcrowded roots Understanding this balance is the key to success. 🪴 𝐏𝐨𝐭 𝐒𝐞𝐭𝐮𝐩: 𝐎𝐧𝐞 𝐏𝐨𝐭 𝐨𝐫 𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐞? You’ll see these herbs sold together. But that doesn’t always mean they should stay together. ✔ 𝐁𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐨𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: Separate pots with drainage holes This gives each herb the conditions it prefers. ✔ 𝐀𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐭-𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐦 𝐨𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: One wide pot with excellent drainage Works through the holidays if watering is careful. If you notice one herb struggling more than the others, separation helps immediately. ☀️ Light: The Make-or-Break Factor This trio needs bright light, even in December. 𝐁𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭: * South-facing window * East-facing window with supplemental light * Grow light for 6–8 hours daily 𝐖𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐞𝐧𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭: * Rosemary gets leggy * Sage stops producing * Thyme weakens and thins If you’re choosing just one upgrade, choose light. 💧 𝐖𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 (𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐌𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐖𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐛 𝐏𝐨𝐭𝐬 𝐅𝐚𝐢𝐥) These herbs hate wet feet. 𝐅𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐫𝐮𝐥𝐞: Water only when the 𝐭𝐨𝐩 𝟏–𝟐 𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐬 of soil feel dry. Then: * Water thoroughly * Let excess drain completely * Empty saucers immediately 𝐒𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐰𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠: * Yellowing leaves * Soft stems * Musty soil smell When in doubt, wait one more day. 🌡️ 𝐓𝐞𝐦𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 & 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐓𝐢𝐩𝐬 Ideal temps: 60–70°F is perfect.

Hi I'm new here. I'm a Widow of 15 yrs and retired for 14 years, decided my Husband passed away so young I didn't want to work until I died and I wanted to enjoy my future Grandkids (which I am doing-I have 8 Grandkids) I have a Boyfriend, so it's my Boyfriend, my Cats and I. I live in the Driftless area of Wisconsin in my own little corner. I'm lucky to live where I live. Lots of farmers that sell meat off their farms, lots of farm stands in the summer, if I'm not mistaken 1 of the biggest Farmers Markets in the Midwest in Madison, about 40 miles East of me. I can, dehydrate and freeze herbs, fruits, veggies and meat. I love knowing what's in the food I'm eating. I also have 6 medium sized flower beds and grow alot of my produce too. That's me in a Nutshell. My Favorite indoor plants are Purple Heart and Pink Princess Philodendron. My Favorite out door plants are my Hardy Hibiscus, my 38 yr. Old Clematis and my Mini Rose Bush I saved from a fall basket a couple of years ago. Hoping to meet some like minded people here. Also here to learn.