!, Part one.

Plants. I'm finding that they're really peculiar creatures. Some want to grow to right about the size of your home really quickly, some take a few months to pop out a new leaf. Both of those situations are cause for a little dance...at least for me.

Here's Hal, the Haworthia limifolia. I bought him in February, and at the time I just had to re-pot everything new that came in. Honestly, Hal might be slightly overpotted. His root ball has maybe an inch to grow wide and two inches to grow down. I don't water him much and he basically looks the exact same way today. He doesn't complain about water, doesn't mind being neglected, and is fun to touch!

Everyone say hi to Hal.

I checked my plants after about a week of neglect and Hal was one of the last to get checked last night. What do I see?

Hal was busy pupping!

I was so excited to see Hal do something - anything! - that I did a happy dance. I was worried I was overwatering. He was moved to the shelves I set up for the summer instead of the windowsill and was also worried he wasn't getting enough light. (The top shelf gets mostly indirect light and about a half hour of bright light a day.) I was worried about nothing because he was happily making a baby. I support single dads.

So, almost 5 months later Hal does something. That's perfectly fine by me.

Next up: Sammy the Chlorophytum gets an update. He's really come a long way.

My garden bloom day.

Not many currently flowering, but they're keeping me happy.

Columnea 'Early Bird'. Lives up to its name!

Diva the Kalanchoe blossfieldiana is STILL blooming. She hasn't stopped since September. She's just about done, though.

Euphorbia x Iomi. Her first set of bracts were removed and shortly after, she poked these out. Not bad for a plant the cats wanted to chomp on. 

I've been fighting gnats for quite some time. Cinnamon has reduced the numbers and I'm in the process of watering less...even though I tend to be so busy that I don't think I'm overwatering. Oh well.

I care for you.

So.

Part of being a therapist means that tragedy does occur. Part of dealing with an older population means that you are more likely to deal with clients at the end of their lives.

I had the pleasure of working with a fantastic woman for almost 2 years. She was cheerful even though she was involved in something fucking horrible before I was born. I wish I could have her attitude. I hope that in the afterlife, you can have everything you ever wanted. Rest in peace, sweetheart.

I think you can tell that I'm not a clinical therapist. My setting is extremely informal and attachment does happen. I can't believe she's gone.

-----

P.S. - I fucking hate fungus gnats.

Playing catchup.

Hi!

Here's a backorder of my new plants. It's been an interesting month.

A gardener was trying to sell some of his Euphorbia leuconeura, and I naturally pounced! He was very generous and sent me these (plus one E. leuconeura I have at work) for the price of postage. The Echeveria were cuttings and I don't have much luck with them, but the Euphorbias took to my mix pretty well and are putting out new leaves.

Euphorbia leuconeura. Gorgeous leaves and is growing pretty quickly.

Now for my order from Violet Barn. The plants are almost impossibly small but they all arrived expertly packed and healthy. This is Aeschynanthus 'Frost Fire'.

This is supposed to grow to be a good bloomer.

Nematanthus 'albus Santa Theresa'.

I bought this because one day it will bloom all white. The fuzzy leaves are also fun to touch.

Codonanthe 'Vista'.

Upright grower and so far it looks happy to be here.

Columnea 'Early Bird'.

They weren't lying when they described it as 'everblooming'. This is just a baby cutting and it wants to bloom.

 Now for Mr. S' plants, which are in varying states:

He had originally sent me an established plant but it started declining really fast. I suspect that I gave it too much light and that the stems started detaching from the soil in transit. He was kind enough to send me plenty of cuttings and they all seem to have taken. I'll have a straggly Wandering Jew in the blink of an eye.

I thought they wouldn't make it. Silly me. T. zebrina will root in almost anything.

Nematanthus 'Tropicana. It lost some of the calyxes it came with. Hm.

Schlumbergera xbuckleyi, or the "true" xmas cactus. Mr. S did say they were being difficult lately and when they came to me they didn't look too hot. They're doing okay now but they're not without their issues. I say 'they' because I split them into two pots. 

Not related to recent plant orders:

Just showing off Miss Hoya. She has come a long way since she hopped in my shopping cart while I was at HD. She shot out a vine, is in the process of doing it again, and is growing 6-7 new leaves. All shrimp pink. She was such a good intro to Hoyas. She doesn't complain, deals with my weird watering schedules, and likes the fertilizer I give it.

Vine, hidden in all of my crap.

I'm pretty sure this is a new vine.

Okay. Things are changing a ton at work and I think I'm getting severely worn out. I feel like I'm always complaining about work...

Anyway, bye!

The things we learn.

This post will be sort of off-topic.

I've been a little distracted lately. Lots of changes at work. I've also restarted an attempt to lose that 40 pounds again. I lost 60 pounds last year, and stopped around my birthday because whenever I ran in the cold, I'd get bronchitis. I fell back into old habits and gained 40 back. Luckily, I have a supportive boyfriend who doesn't really care how I look. We're doing it again (he lost about 70, gained 20 back. GODDAMN MEN AND THEIR TESTOSTERONE) and hopefully for the last time.

So, it's been a lot of working out. My plants still get a lot of care. I put in an order to Violet Barn, and I'll be taking pictures of that soon. I also got a really generous package from the gardener that tried to help me with my Euphorbia suzannae. I inquired about one of the many Euphorbia leuconeura he wanted to give away. He shipped them immediately and he sent me 3(!), along with 3 Echeveria rosettes. How kind! I know now that gardeners are super generous. I should know - my mom and grandma are saints.

Anyway, I'm off to relax. Work tomorrow.

The backyard plants!

I try not to go out there too often nowadays, simply for the fact that mosquitoes are drawn to me like a magnet. However, my plants don't mind. They seems to really like being outside.

My little greenhouse. My friend is too busy at the moment to care for his plants, so they're inside.

Haworthia turgida, with a little sempervivum baby I stuck in there.

Hoya fitchii has really loved being outside. No mealies in sight.

This is one of the few leaves it's pushing out. I just love the veins.

My pride and joy semp. This had a few when I bought it. Now all the pups circle the mother.

The happy semps.

Okay. Kalanchoe tubiflora is getting freaking huge. I didn't have much hope for the plant - when I brought it outside, it immediately started dropping its lower leaves. Now it's grown another inch.

The other Crassula I have. Don't remember the exact species. Bad Lauren.

My lovely Coral! Re-potted hopefully for the last time in a while, and looks good. She's starting to trail.

I guess she could use some pinching.

Hoya mindorensis' vine came to me dying back. I cut both of them back. One of them responded well, one kept dying back. This is the aftermath of it. I had to cut back to the first node. Shame, really. Hopefully this side comes back.

That's it!

It's funny how things work.

I don't know if Chaka has root mealies. For now, she's outside my apartment. I can't for the life of me remember which other one had a similar rootball. I hate that.

I also refuse to unpot everything and check. I have over 60 plants - that's not going to happen.

EDIT: Syke. It's a fungus. Thanks to GW users for letting me know.