Cubicle worker.
 

All,

I work in an office and am looking for a fruit plant for my desk. My
desk is in a cubicle which is ten feet any from a standard tinted
office window so the only real light source for the plant will have to
be the fluorescent overhead lights seven feet above the desk. The
temperature of the office is pretty much a standard 70F M-F but might
range from 60F-80F on the weekends throughout the year. I have read
in this group that fluorescent lights are ineffectual if they are more
that six inches away from the plant but so is life.

I would like for the plant to be a fruit plant (more interesting topic
of conversation) than just a standard plant. Also, a plant that does
not release pollen would be beneficial, nor one that attracts flies,
nor one that grows over, say, 2.5 feet tall.

I thought that maybe two small pepper plants would look pretty in a
clay pot that is eighteen inches long, eight inches wide, six inches
deep. One with red peppers and the other with yellow peppers? I am
not sure..

I look forward to any advice and/or suggestions. I will keep the
group posted on the purchase and any comments from the locals.

Peter

Cubicle worker.
 

Cubicle worker.
 

wrote in message
om...

Peter


Please consider disguising your email address. You are about to get all
types of spam.

Fito

Cubicle worker.
 

On 8 Aug 2003 20:41:17 -0700,
) wrote:


I thought that maybe two small pepper plants would look pretty in a
clay pot that is eighteen inches long, eight inches wide, six inches
deep. One with red peppers and the other with yellow peppers? I am
not sure..

I think they'd look pretty too, but I don't think they'd
have enough light.

Can you get one of those adjustable desk lamps and put it on
your desk, over the plants, to supplement the ceiling
lights? Some of the desk lamps have fluorescent bulbs - or
you could use a compact fluorescent.

Red Robin and Yellow Canary are miniature tomatoes: the Red
Robin plants get about one foot high and will grow happily
in a 6" pot, although probably an 8" pot would be even
better. The Yellow Canary are indeterminate and will grow
indefinitely, I suppose, but could be pruned.

I have nine Red Robins (each in a 6" pot) growing happily in
my bay window, but this is a huge window (8' x 6') with
another two windows at 45 degree angles to it (the whole
affair sticks out from the house and faces southeast), so
they get a terrific amount of light there - no doubt several
orders of magnitude more light than ceiling-fluorescent
office lights.

Have you considered herbs? They'd probably need less light
than a fruiting plant.

Pat

Cubicle worker.
 

Cubicle worker.
 

My thoughts:

At my university, they were totally cool about letting me grow some tomatoes
and stuff around the corner of the building. They all grumbled at first, but
they turned on to the idea when my profs would pick a couple of tomatoes on the
way in in the morning.

The plants sort of became a focal point for our department. ANd you would be
amazed at how people, even in the middle of the city, will not damage your
plants. Even college students think that it's a pretty cool way to spend some
time.

Cubicle worker.
 

On 8 Aug 2003 20:41:17 -0700,
) wrote:

I work in an office and am looking for a fruit plant for my desk. My
desk is in a cubicle which is ten feet any from a standard tinted
office window so the only real light source for the plant will have to
be the fluorescent overhead lights seven feet above the desk. The
temperature of the office is pretty much a standard 70F M-F but might
range from 60F-80F on the weekends throughout the year. I have read
in this group that fluorescent lights are ineffectual if they are more
that six inches away from the plant but so is life.

What you read is correct. Flowering (and fruiting) plants generally
need a considerable amount of light. As someone else mentioned, if you
want color and drama on the desktop, you're going to have to grow
elsewhere and bring plants into your cubicle for brief periods.

Cubicle worker.
 

There are some decorative, non-edible miniature peppers that might work under
those conditions. The fruit is pretty, and stays on the plant for a long time.

You might also look into a "goldfish" plant, with has flowers that look like
-duh- goldfish. I was able to grow them and spaths (which do not have the color
you are looking for) on my desk with only distant window lighting and overhead
flourescents.


-=epm=-

In matters of truth and justice,
there is no difference between large and small problems,
for issues concerning the treatment of people are all the same.
- Albert Einstein

Cubicle worker.
 

On 09 Aug 2003 22:01:39 GMT, (EvelynMcH)
wrote:

There are some decorative, non-edible miniature peppers that might work under
those conditions. The fruit is pretty, and stays on the plant for a long time.

You might also look into a "goldfish" plant, with has flowers that look like
-duh- goldfish. I was able to grow them and spaths (which do not have the color
you are looking for) on my desk with only distant window lighting and overhead
flourescents.

"Ornamental Peppers" require at least 4 hours of "full sun" per day.
"Goldfish Plants" (aren't they cute? Thanks for mentioning them.) grow
in "bright indirect" light. An office cubical with overhead
fluorescents just isn't enough light. Don't know about your own
conditions, but office ceiling light is often 12' or more away. (Am
still looking up comparisons of 'lumens' between lights and sun.)

Think of what we regard as comfortable reading (office) light. It's
*sure* not direct sun. We read in the shade -- whether under a tree or
a big hat. Even "bright, indirect" may be too bright for comfort.
Typical office plants are 'low light' ones. They survive, 'though
seldom bloom, in a fluorescent environment. The only plant I ever saw
bloom in an office was a Peace Lily. I'm sure that's not the *only*
one, but low-light bloomers are few and far between.