My plants are silly geese.

I had a wonderful vacation. I'm NOT looking forward to work tomorrow...but alas, I must be an adult and do Adult Things.

Anyway, I come bursting in the door, anxious to catch the Flyers game. Bags of groceries in hand and just kissed my mother goodbye (she is a saint, really. Drove me two hours without me asking.) I give my windowsills a quick look and everything is fine. Phew!

Then I see Jazzy. She's fainted.

OH NO! She got too hot and too dry while I was gone - darnit. I quickly gave her a good watering and a few hours later, she's trying to forgive me. I forget that while I have succulents that don't mind being dry...I have prima donnas that HATE being dry. I've found that I only have a few of those, thankfully.

Randoms:

1. The Lowe's by the bridge into Philly is the best one I have ever been in. Yes, some were dying. However, the selection was so much better. Tons of plants and most of them were healthy. My mom even bought some (I think I'm giving her the bug again.) I ended up leaving with some rhipsalis, which I have been interested in for a while. They're hanging too so they will get a good spot by the window.

2. Poor Coral the Nematanthus is battling her mealies very bravely. When I came home, her new growth had yellowed. I haven't watered her in almost two weeks. That growth had a mealy in it so I sprayed her down with neem. I guess she didn't like it.

3. I saw some weird flightless bugs on Diva. I quickly killed them but they didn't match my images of scale, mealybugs, or spider mites. Hm.

4. Very non-plant related: I'm not one to play games. I live above people who do not know how to keep it down. Thankfully, I have possibly the best landlord ever to landlord. Seriously. He's also Cantonese so I think he liked me 300x more when he found out I was half, haha.

5. I'm starting to realize that certain plants don't do well with me. Echeverias routinely like to die on me (okay okay, there have only been two but still), and I'm not going to try Aeoniums again until I get a backyard. 

Okay, that's it for now. I'm waiting for Mr. Subjunctive's plant list to go up as well as Joni's list of May hoyas over at SRQ. I want potsii 'Chaing Mai', sp. Ban Ngon Ngoy, and something else I can't remember really badly.

Tonight, I'ma let it be fire.

Today, I have a day ALL TO MYSELF! This hasn't happened in two years. Either I'm at work, always in contact with the public, or I'm with my boyfriend/friends. Tomorrow is also my 3rd anniversary with my lovely boyfriend. I am all sorts of happy this morning.

Yesterday, I was in Lowe's (completely meant it to be non-plant related...I needed wire shelving) but we ended up in the plant section anyway:

MBF: Look at these plants! They're dying.
Me: Yes, I know. This is why I think my plant buying gets so out of hand. I want to save some of them from impending death.
MBF: Now that I see how badly these people don't care about them, I don't blame you.
(Then he sees some Bonsai specimens that were badly treated...on the rack for $40.)
MBF: Aren't these supposed to live forever? And they still want to sell them for full price?
Me: I am not surprised one bit.

So, my boyfriend being himself, he took a picture and sent it to Lowe's facebook page. They actually responded!

This beauty - Aloe nobilis - was my only salvage from Lowe's. $5, a few pups already, and I had to have her.

Nice and spiky. :) She had a loose leaf so I just put it out of its misery. I think I'm starting to have a *thing* for Aloes.

I had to stop by Urban Jungle for more soil and I've been looking for a tricolor jade since I first saw it online! I just had to have it.

She was the only one. Lucky me!

 On a soil note, I think I've found a winner. I will never use Miracle Gro soil ever again. I am still battling fungus gnats! I switched to a local organic soil called Organic Mechanics. I still amend the soil with my own vermiculite and perlite, but the plants seem to LOVE the new soil. It's peat-free, which makes me feel better about using potting soil. I try to live as green as possible and this is right in line with that. None of my plants have responded negatively to my mix, and I'm eventually going to repot all of them into that mix.

I also swear by Schultz' plant food! Half strength at every watering and my darlings are just tickled green. Of course, spring being here might have helped that out but I think the fertilizer definitely helps.

Anyway, here are some plant events:

Remember Bernie? Well, before I left for my mother's on Thursday, I noticed some wigglies in the soil. They looked like maggots, but with legs. I removed them and put them in the trash. I had my poor boyfriend put Bernie out in the hallway. When I came back, I double-checked for wigglies and found none...but I did find a dead fly in it! That was it - I repotted. All the nasty, peaty soil came off the roots. I gave it a conservative prune and into new pots they went! I always knew Bernie wasn't a singular plant so I decided that it was time to divide. Bernie Parent's wife in real life is named Carol...so welcome Carol to my plant collection! She looks quite pretty in her polka-dot pot. Bernie looks on lovingly.

Catalina thanks me for the good care but finally showing me her cute little spathes. She has about 6-7 more forming. Plenty of new leaves and new growth. She is a happy Anthurium.

I never gave this Haworthia resendeana much attention - she got a good look-over during my bug checks and would get groomed (getting perlite off her lower leaves) but look! She pupped twice while I wasn't looking. The left one looks great, but I think the right one has never seen any sort of light. I make sure the little guy gets the sun now. This is her second round of pups - her bigger kids are in a pot not far away from her. Mischievous little bastards like to poke me.

And here she is. Gorgeous.

Miss Hoya is a funny lady - she threw out this pink leaf in like a week. She's working on a few more...

In the meantime, no matter what I do with her vine, she likes to hook around my step-ladder. Maybe she wants to dance?

Phil the Ledebouria is pushing out a new leaf. His flower stalk is spent but I think he will look great.

My nematanthus wettsteinii. I haven't seen anything on her since the one mealy, but I'm not taking any chances. I try not to shove her in the dark by keeping her in my bathroom during the day. She seems to understand.

Sammy keeps her company. He looks so much better than when I first got him. He was pale green and limp and now...he thrives.

I think I'm playing favorites here. I know, I've pictured her here so many times. Jazzy just keeps on blooming...she shows no signs of stopping.

My C. laxum is doing quite well. I was afraid of the dreaded brown tips, but so far he's been really good about it. Very minimal. He needs a repot but I'm holding off since chlorophytums don't really like being repotted...or so I read.

My C. tetragona cutting. I knew it rooted since it gave me some resistance when tugged, but this is the real proof.

Now, let's speak about Tovah the Tradescantia zebrina 'quadricolor'. I don't speak about her too much, but I just adore her. Look at her pinks and greens! She happily grows in the Organic Mechanics soil with watering every so often. Really easy plant - I just leave her where she gets the afternoon sun and she grows and grows.

Profile. I just love her!

That's it for now. I made this so long because I won't be able to update for at least a few days. Until then!

Reasons why I am not an outdoor gardener.

I admire outdoor gardeners, I really do. My grandmother was one and my mother is one. Yesterday was my mother's birthday and she didn't really want presents...she wanted me to help her weed. I said, "No problem!"

That was until I saw how weedy her garden patch was. She just moved to this house and the former owner was a widow and very, very old. Understandably, she wasn't up to regular weeding. So we spent 3+ hours just weeding. Backbreaking work - I rolled out of bed sore as a mother. However, my mom is a happy camper and got to plant her dianthus/lithadora(sp?)/marigolds/euonymus/etc.

This leads me to the reasons why I dislike outdoor gardening.

1. Bugs. Every summer, without fail, I get bitten up by mosquitos like I'm the last source of blood on Earth. Once, I was visiting friends in North Carolina and I got bit so bad I had bites the size of kiwis. I was not a happy camper being outside, prey to anything that bites.

2. There are also quite nasty bugs in outdoor soil. I can deal with a fungus gnat here or there, but I can't deal with random 100-legged bugs and scary looking spiders. I leave them alone because they're outside and that's their turf but that doesn't mean I like it!

3. Weeds. They're aggressive and strangle the actual plants you put down. They're also freaking impossible to get rid of without constant vigilance.

4. Easy, widespread bug infestations. Yes, they can happen indoors too but outside they're just asking for bugs to come and eat them up. I was trimming my mom's azalea bushes (so pretty!) and little did I know...each stem I trimmed had mealybugs under it. I HATE mealybugs. They were on her aucuba, too. I think I found the culprit, though - the neighbor has a creeping bush coming into the yard and it's infested. I cut it back the best I could and told mom to start spraying the bushes.

With houseplants, they do happen but you can isolate them and spray the crap out of them. 


5. On that note, you can move them. Don't like the bush growing in front of your house? Better have a shovel, or you're SOL. With my plants, I just move them.

6. Outdoor gardening can be back-breaking. My mother has bad knees and I have a bad back. Just being out there doing something as routine as weeding has us wrecked.

7. For some reason, outdoor plants don't really get me excited. I wish I knew what it was. Maybe it was because my grandmother has done it all before. Maybe it's because I know that eventually they'll get bugs or I'll have to replant them because they're annuals. Something about it does not pique my interest.

8. Lastly, you actually have to have some sort of space outdoors to garden. Mom's house in NJ has that in spades, but here in Philly...HAHA. That's funny. The nurseries here are big on vertical gardening because Philly backyards are the size of bathrooms...and if you have kids, that space is theirs.

Ah, that felt good. I really admire outdoor gardeners, but yesterday REALLY made me realize that it is not for me at this point in time. BTW, pruning a lilac tree is no joke. Beautiful tree, but yowza!

----

So, I'm currently on vacation. I had scheduled this weeks in advance, and boy did I need it. I've been very stressed out. I haven't taken more than one day off in a year and a half so I think I deserve it. I haven't been near my plants for about 2 days and I'm a little anxious because some of my plants dry out that fast. I'm thinking about Mimi immediately because she gets super dry in a minute because she's in direct sun. Hopefully, I don't come home to anything bad. (I'm looking at you, mealybugs.)

I may be able to post more...maybe not. My vacation isn't turning out to be much couch-surfing. Until next time!

On a personal note...

I'm not currently in a good mood.

My job is high-stress and relatively low reward. I'm not a perfect person, even though the public seems to think therapists are perfect. We're still people.

On that cryptic note, I cannot wait to get back home to my plants. My boyfriend won't be there, but they always will be. Yes, sometimes they get silly and faint on me or allow a bug to suck on them. I'm proud of how they've grown since I've gotten them and they can't speak, but they let me know how they feel by growing or blooming or just plain living.

We can't ask these things of people.

Most plant people aren't necessarily considered "people persons". I am in the minority - I love people, love interacting with them. I live to make sure people are getting the services they need. However, plants have that certain pull. There's a certain grace about growing in the wind, or on a sill. There's a certain peace that washes over you when you see a successful plant grow.

I know it's weird, but sometimes when I get stressed, I'll look at Glasshouse Works or SRQ Hoyas. I won't buy anything but I'll look. I'll get tempted. I calm down and can get back to whatever it was I had to do.

Note to self:
Over the weekend, you re-potted Jasmine to a 6" pot. You also re-potted Diva and Russell into the same pots but into your mix. (Organic Mechanics soil amended with vermiculite and perlite in a 2:1:1). You still need to repot the Senecio radicans and Aloe 'California' - one for you, one for Kevin.

You gave a bath to N. wettsteinii, and did not see any further mealies. Keep checking for the next month or so. She stays in isolation.

Make sure you take Mimi down before you leave on Thursday. She will dry out before you get back on Sunday in that direct sun.

---

To end everything, what a nightmare of a day. I'll be glad to see it over.

The bane of my existence.

Dear mealybugs,

No, you cannot suck on my Nematanthus wettsteinii. I see you, and I killed you with rubbing alcohol. If you or your fuzzy friends wish to come back...I have neem and I have access to systemics. I will be watching.

For now,
Lauren

So disappointing, since it's been growing very well (was bought in a two inch pot and is now happy in a 5 inch pot) and is finally throwing out new buds. It's currently on the kitchen floor. It can't be near my Pothos or Sedum anymore. Shame. Queen Anne and Amelia will miss you.

On a brighter note, my friend Kevin and I are owners of a small beginners greenhouse and will be putting it outside once we get a lock on the gate. I bought a few cute plants that will be mostly outdoor plants. In Philly, we tend to get pretty hot summers so they should be fine all season.

That's it for now. I'm a dead woman walking - I refuse to put the air conditioner in and move my plants from that sill. Today is supposed to be nearing 90 and I didn't have a great night's sleep. I had dreams of mealybugs!

New plants and some signs the older ones aren't dying.

I can't stop dancing to Friendly Fires.

Anyway, here are my new plants:

Echeveria nodulosa. It was the only one there, and it was so beautiful...SNATCH.

Kalanchoe tubiflora. Apparently this is a weed in the ground and is pretty aggressive about getting around. Oh well, I like it! She will just have to be separated.

Senecio radicans/string of bananas. They had huge hanging baskets of it, but if it is anything like Senecio rowleyanus, no thanks. It grows quickly enough on it's own.

Portulacaria afra. I have the variegated version, which I do like better, but you know me. I have to collect each color...It's a 4-pack, so I'm going to pot up one for my friend and possibly my mom. I have to check if it's safe for cats first.

Hoya Krimson Princess. She is rather common, just like Miss Hoya, but that doesn't mean she isn't special! There were huge hanging baskets of her as well, but half the fun of Hoyas is growing them into big baskets like that. Carnosas are vigorous enough that in a year or so it will look just like the baskets. 

And for my plant events:

Look at this proud mama!

She got full afternoon sun and 1/2 strength fertilizer once a week (small pot) and there we go. Hoping for more!

Sally finally shows her true colors! For the longest, I didn't know what color blooms she would have. I had rescued her from my boyfriend's job a month ago and soon after she started budding. I rather like her bright pink self. I knew she'd be sassy.

And this is Miss Hoya, making me strain my arm by extending it fully so you can see her crazy vine. I thought Krimson Queen was a trailing plant?

And she still had enough energy to throw out a new, colored leaf. Now I'm glad I didn't buy the smaller, more colorful one. Miss Hoya has made my Hoya experience easier. She was a good intro plant.

Yes, Mimi has been pictured before. She lives for pictures...she is a diva, after all. This is her third round of blooms. When I took her home from the Philadelphia Flower Show, she had 7 blooms. Then she had 3. Now she has 10, with more on the way. She has been a pleasure to grow. We have a deal - I don't move her, she doesn't drop buds and she blooms profusely.

I have to admit that I've been slacking on the tending to my plants. My succulents are thinking eh, mom. That's okay, we like that. However, after coming home today my Hypoestes phyllostachya - who was fine this morning - straight up fainted on me. I kept her too dry. I immediate watered her and she perked back up. I'm sure I won't get away with that much, so I need to keep up with this.

I've just been so busy. In the last month, I have worked at least 6 days a week for most of it. I've just got off call Wednesday. I work tomorrow, and I know I have a responsibility to not only take care of myself, but keep up with my family and friends. Plants are very important to me, as well, and I will just have to find a balance.

Things may be even more hectic in the coming weeks. My mother's birthday is next week, my 3-year anniversary the week after, and I'm going to visit a friend that same weekend. Between that, I'm setting up the greenhouse with a friend out in our concrete slab and helping my mother spruce up the yard.

I hope everyone stays blessed! Until next time.

Eugh.

So, I was looking at buying plants yesterday (I was looking for a heavy pot to settle down Jazzy's top-heaviness and maybe some trellises but then Lowe's had to have a brand new shipment of succulents...) and I had just bought a Hoya Krimson Princess at Home Depot when I saw the same plant at Lowe's.

Me: Honey! Look, they have the same plant here and they look healthier.
My boyfriend (from now to be MBF): [looks up from phone near the cart] Cool!
Me: I can't just return the other plant, what do I do?
MBF: I don't know...I'm not going to enable you. (I already had 4 plants in the cart as it was.)
Me: [sees...things...on the plant I'm holding up] WHAT IS THIS?
MBF: (after a closer look) Looks like mites.
Me: EUGH!!!!!!!! Should I tell an employee?
MBF: They're not going to do anything about it.
Me: You're right.

Shame, really, because the variegation on the KP was just gorgeous. They had hanging baskets at both places but I really don't have the space for another Hoya that wants to grow towards the ceiling/floor, depending on it's growth habit.

I wish I had a picture of the mites. They were like cockroaches that didn't scram when you turn on the lights - they just SAT on the leaf like, 'Yo. 'Sup?'

The reason why I'm all EUGH is 1) I'm a new gardener blessed with nothing more than weird looking bugs I can't identify and one mealybug I effectively killed and 2) I hate bugs, but love gardening 3) Lowe's doesn't usually display such obviously infested plants. This Lowe's has more of an issue keeping the darn things alive. They're generally healthy plants bug-wise.

They had some really nice, semi hard to find plants. I had to put down a Kalanchoe eriophylla because the white leaves had some sort of brown-green coloration on the bottom leaves. I didn't know if they were fungus, so I just left it alone.

I should have got some photos for the passovers.

Anyway, I will be posting later today with pics of the new plants as well as some exciting new plant events.

Plant jamboree.

This Aglaonema 'Silver Bay' is named Bernie. You know, after one of the greatest Flyers goalies ever. I think he quite likes being named Bernie.

This Crassula perforata was a surprise. An employee at Urban Jungle knocked it off the mother plant and said, "Do you want it?" So I took it home and stuck it in the dirt with my wandering jew cutting. It wasn't particularly moist nor in a particularly large amount of sun, but sure enough last night I saw some good roots on it! It now has its own pot.

Now for the big guns. My new Hoya haul from Joni @ SRQ Hoyas.

H. cumingiana, H. lacunosa 'sno caps', and H. fitchii.

H. fitchii, with his beautiful veined leaves.

H. lacunosa 'sno caps', a hanging Hoya that I love for the speckled foliage.

H. cumingiana. I was looking at Joni's collection and these leaves struck me for some reason. I tend to like thick, green, stiff leaves. This might make sense now.

I also have some preety exciting plant events going on at this moment, but I took time out from my plant check to make this post. All around excitement at casa di Lauren. I should be making another post soon with random plant happenings. Especially Miss Hoya trying to grow towards the ceiling.

What do I hate more than anything?

I have made my peace with bees and spiders. Don't climb on me and don't set up shop in my toothbrush cup and you're not dead.

I, however, cannot stand houseflies.

I left for work today not seeing one fly. I came home to A DOZEN. Yes, TWELVE. I live near a store and I'm convinced they had something to do with it. I don't just get a dozen flies for no reason. So, my plant check was abruptly cut short.

For the record, Febreeze paired with Glade works wonders if you don't have a fly swatter.

It's bad enough the crappy Miracle Gro I used to pot my first few plants breed fungus gnats! I will never use MG soil again.

Die, flies. You carry and breed disease.

Don't write when you're deliriously tired...

1. I just spent $46 on 3 Hoyas.

2. I just pruned a E. Milii that had a wiggly...thing...on the bract. It wasn't a mealy, nor a spider mite, nor an aphid/whitefly/scale. It looked like a grub and did not respond to neem OR rubbing alcohol. So that bract went bye bye. I don't mind the plant being without flowers so long as the wiggly things are gone.

3. I'm also the new owner of a Sedum NOID (which fell a few times coming home and now likes to slump...), another Ledebouria Socialis (which has little bulbs under it and I accidentally removed one, but put it in the soil next to the mama), and a Aglaonema which is most likely 'Jubilee'. It's 'Silver Bay'.

4. Plants have really been an outlet for stress for me lately. My job is high-stress and while I'm blessed to have a full time paying job, I need a vacation. That's in less than 3 weeks!

That's it for now. I'm really tired. Goodnight.