Than this baby dwarf Tradescantia zebrina? It is exactly the same as the normal one, the big one, but the stems,
the leaves, everything is so so tiny. I almost cried when I saw this, lol.
So beautiful, tender and delicate.
Here she is with my other new babies, a Portulacaria afra and I think, a Sedum morganianum? I'm not experienced
and I forget the names, but I really like to know them. So hopefully I will learn many of them eventually.
I could easily answer if I was questioned, that my favorite plant is the Ficus elastica Variegata.
Which is having problems.
Which is losing leaves.
Which has brown edges on most leaves.
Which I have put on pebbles to increase moisture.
Which I worry the most from my plants.
And yet, he is the one with the problem.
The guy in the nursery told me this one needs much light, very much light.
But he has light. OK, it's winter light, not all the days have sun, even here,
but the room gets its share of bright light. I wonder if I could just become more risky
and move him outside, gradually, so he can perhaps survive.
The central heating is not on yet, I'm glad for that!
And I'm also thinking to get him an additional light source and to water him better.
Dunno, just trying.
The other plants are doing well though. I have started a watering diary to somehow
learn about specific needs for each plant.
I am also starting slowly my Succulent collection, these guys must be easier to keep,
so it will be a pleasure to get my hands on some beautiful, juicy leaved sedums, I love their colors.
I don't know if I should go for hardy or tender succs, but I like tenders most!
The day is sunny today, it was raining yesterday. So, that's good for my Ficus, he will get some decent light.
I have also misted the outside pot, he is in another, bigger one, which is from terracotta. And that might
create him some additional humidity, member has told me these guys need more humidity than my home
atmosphere has probably. I think that member is right, I live in a place with dry and hot conditions.
And I realize, that however much I love tropicals, I will probably never have a decent Tropical collection.
Sigh, sigh, sigh. I love those luscious big leaved plants, I cannot express how much I do like them!
I can see different kinds of people that have plants in their home or outside, on a porch, in a pation, or in their garden.
Some would not bring a sick plant in their home, as they want beautiful and healthy plants, eye candy helping them and recharging
their need to be surrounded by beauty. Some are saviours of plants, nurses of plants, healers.
They want to give them a chance to get over their strains, or recover from a hard life. Others are Plant Artists, they use their plants, play with the
plants, are more free in their handling of them, are interested in the plant "material", the combinations, the textures, the colors. The people with a blooming
vigorous fantasy, getting their hands dirty to reach out to the glory of a glimpse of green, purple, neon beauty in every imaginable combo.
It's nice to be able to look into different types of people who all love having plants, but each with her own attitude, spirit and character towards
the plant. Plant lovers yes, that is the umbrella category, but there are subspecies under it, just like there are numerous subspecies of a plant
sometimes. Very interesting. Some would not hold on to a currently ugly looking, awkardly leaning, naked stemming, leaf twitching, brown spotted,
sick or recovering plant. They would easily replace a plant with a fresher, younger, not so tired, an old soul.
Some need their plants as a strong reminder of the beauty nature has to offer. Some are plant mommies and plant
dads, they care for them even when they are behaving in an unsuitable manner, when they are failures of plants, when they do not adjust quickly,
and sometimes when they do not adjust at all. They still care, they do their best, they get anxious over a yellow leaf, over a sign of distress, over
a drooping appearance, is it well, is it sick, how much time will it get them to recover, what medicine should I get, I love this plant!
Isn't it fascinating?
I have started a small windowsill "nursery". More and more cuttings were placed in small glass bottles, water glasses.
Started with top cuttings, then went on to some stem cuttings and a few plants that had some roots.
I admit I don't quite know what I'm doing, if I'm doing it right, but I'm learning. Watching some videos, seeking info in the
forum, etc. I have two Dracaenas waiting to root, some Tradescantia pallida and zebrina cuttings, and a beautiful rhizome of
an Arrow plant (Syngonium Podophyllum). I love the foliage of the this plant and the way the leaves feel, their shape and texture.
It's going to be fun waiting to see what grows and what not.
I want to use them into filling the base of pots that have plants with naked lower stems, seem so small in their pots, but still
I don't want to repot just now. I could add something to the picture of a huge pot with a leggy plant in it, which is not really my idea
of a visual interesting theme.
I found out the hard way that if you don't take the hard road from the start, you will have to redo many things to adjust to the plant's
needs and proper care. For example, I started with some pots bigger than necessary, as those were what I had and could not figure
out why not use them instead of buying others, new ones. But it was necessary to be done in smaller pots, as now I am doing a whole
lotta work that I wouldn't have if I started right.
Anyway, a lesson learnt. Never overpot.
Secondly, I only have generic indoor plants really, nothing special, so my need for visual interest is to see them in a new light, by
adding companion plants, adding some color, etc.
I am so inspired by what I see over the net, so many lovely combinations of planted pots, the colors, the different shapes, the textures.
I understand that I have to make my research on their needs though, you cannot put a Sans with a calathea in the same pot and expect
them to thrive over time.
I was given some Aloe plants and even though they don't seem to be in such a good condition, I hope they recover.
Them Boston ferns, I can never find what is it exactly they want. Since I have placed them on pebbles, spraying them with lukewarm water, water them with water has been sitting for two days, they are in dappled shade to shade place, the soil is the same combo as the other ferns I have potted, but those thrive, while the Boston ferns are just grumpy. They lose a lot of leaves and getting emptier day by day. Sure, there is still new fronds, but I cannot figure out what
more to give them, do for them, etc. I am thinking of getting a humidifier to assist.
My Chamaedorea Elegans has got a new leaf! That's great news, as it was given to me by a relative who could not provide for her any more,
and she was rather beaten up. I even found scale on a leaf, but she seems to have adjusted to her new place and that she likes it. Let's see.
My Fittonias produce new leaves like crazy, I think those too have found the conditions, soil and light convenient for them!
I must take some cuttings so that they don't become too tall, but remain bushier and lower. Is it easy to propagate, I would say not,
but since I will have the cuttings I will give this a try. I could try buying some rooting hormone and use.
I only have a plant that is sad, and it is a miniature Hedera helix, my Mini Adam.
It is limp since yesterday, gave him water, sprayed him, put him in a shadier place.
Those small ones are so lovely but equally finicky! I hope he survives.
