Houseplant Collection for 2010 - What are you growing?

Here are the old-fashioned lamps with wide reflectors, on the top shelves. Not exactly an attractive set up, but this is the back wall in my study -- a room that is off-limits to all but the most devoted gardeners in my world...like you!

Kevin

Kevin? Can you add something to extend the new fixtures? I'm picturing like mylar paper or something very reflective but flexible. Foil? Maybe not attractive, but certainly would capture the light and throw it back. I have tried to capture light the way the ancient egyptians did, curving the light where you want it. My goal was to get the sunlight from the living room into the kitchen which has no outside wall. It was interesting and I learned a bit, but have to play with it some more :). I found a mirror the other day, and plan to place plants on it that need lots of light, it bounces it back up to them. Wonder if that would help with fluorescent? At least it's prettier than hanging foil. A mirror behind? Would take light from the wall and throw it back to the plants. Sorry that I don't know where to get those wide hooded lights, they look very nice.

Hardware, lumberyard, farm stores would probably carry the lightfixtures and bulbs along with the electricall wiring needed and I think a mirror is an excellent suggestion!

I have been thinking on how to throw the light back Up to my peppers since they have gone over the top of the light fixture...short of cutting them back!

Tinfoil would be an irritation at watering time I would think and would have to be chronically replacing it.

There is sheeting they sell for roofs, its heavier than foil but flexible for making valleys in roofs. It could potentially cut you though.

My guess is that no one is manufacturing the old, wide-hooded fluorescents anymore.

But I love the idea of using a mirror. Perhaps the "full-length"-type mirror that people hang on closet doors could be mounted, sideways, between plants and wall. Mylar, too, could suffice, if it were arched over the new, hood-less lights.

Anyway, thanks for the great ideas.

And, 3js, strategically placing a mirror to reflect light from one room into another sounds very creative!

Bought this for $3.99 at HD after it was done blooming--had no clue what the flower would look like. I love the color!

Its a hybrid Phalenopsis, an orchid. Read up on care, and tell us how you do they were always tough on me.

Since I never posted a list, for the most part I have succulents, around a hundred, mostly spineless or lightly spined. I have collections of Crassula, and really like Adromischus, I have 2 succulent pelargoniums several echcverias and hoyas from various sources. A number of Christmas cacti, including one very old ~100 one that has not bloomed yet I have 2 easter cactus from years ago, but are unnamed. We have a giant spider plant, rubber tree, and pony tail palm.

Typically I like succulents due to their easy going nature, but now I find some species of Adromischus have strong winter growing tendencies.

Mostly I grow either the bizarre, but have some mundane to keep the bizarre bizarre.

My mother was an African Violet nut, which got me into Episcia and Aescynanthus, then into cactus and succulents. Now I am trying to get more caudiciforms.

Orchids... nope not going there.. They are to costly for me! Im a cereal killer with them and AV's... as for episcias. tried them, did not do to badly at first.. after I killed them.. did not go back.

Used to do cactus.. had about 100 kinds, dont recall whatever happened to them but suspect they got given away on moving. I would go back with them if I could find room...! LOL!

Bizarre is fun!

Wintergardener, Try checking out second hand stores. In our area there are quite a few second hand shops. Habitat for Humanity has a warehouse with donated items for sale. There is an Architectural Warehouse that has old building supplies. Not only do they have interesting doors, windows, mouldings and hardware for people restoring old homes but they have all kinds of things. Ric is a hunter gather. It's not unusual for him to pick things up that have been left out for the trash. I got several of those old wide 4 bulb lights from a neighbors yard they had put them out free for the taking. But he will quite often stop at constructions sites. If they are doing a demo they are quite often very happy to let you cart off used materials that they would have to pay to get rid of. If you have free-cycle in your area you can post on there to see if anyone has some.

As far as what I grow.... hmmm, well, aroids, gesneriads, begonias, orchids, hibiscus, a few carnivorous, dracaena's and cordylines, some bromeliads, and then other stuff. I guess anything that likes me well enough to stay :).

I had a terrible time trying to get a few good pics of the plants still downstairs. This is the best pic I have gotten so far. In this pic you can see the Prince of Orange, Hibiscus and Raspberry Ice Bougainvillea. Most of my house plants aren't looking their best right now. They got pretty dried out when we were traveling last month and are still showing some signs. The Bougie lost a lot of leaves but is comming back. There is a fuzzy Tradescantia planted in with the Hibiscus. It was just cut back so all you see is the chopped off stems. The PoO is several years old.

The Hibiscus did get a bit dry but luckily not dry enough to drop the flower buds. So I have several blooms.

Very pretty Holly! Makes me want to re-think my focus on AV's, and try some new things.

I have a few of this and a few of that. They do take up a good bit of space, though. There is a Ficus, Hibiscus, Prince of Orange, Croton, the 5 Orchids, Jade and this (?) plant I brought home from Fl. a year ago. Can't remember what it is started with an I, I think. Lyn would know I'm sure. Holly

Looks like an Ixora (jungle flame?)

The bloom looks familiar as in I saw it at Logees? LOL! What is your humidity? Mine has plummeted with this frigid weather--and what isn't wicked is needing watering every couple of days!

Here is the Jade it is more than 30 years old. Sure wish it grew into a tree but it is more of a sprawler. That pot is 12 inches high and 20 inches across. Over the years some of the larger pieces would break or die off and new ones would start.

Thank you Hcmcdole, It is an Ixora. My computer was down for a month or so and many of my old pictures and word documents have not been downloaded back it the computer. I have a lot of my plant lists in those documents.
We heat with a wood/coal stove so our humidity isn't good. Ric picked up a humidifier to sit in with the plants. He got it at a local a flea market for a couple of bucks but it didn't work well. We do put a pot of water on the stove to help.
You probably did see it in Logees, I have found that when we travel to Fl. that I can get really nice plants at HD or Lowes. Plants that I would have paid big$$ for much smaller plants locally or from a catalog. The Croton, Ixora and other Bougie all came home from Fl. The Raspberry Ice Bougie came from Logees years ago and it was just tiny. The other Bougie has solid green leaves and an orangish flower. It was called sunset (something?)

Is anyone forcing tulips, hyacinths, or other hardy bulbs this winter? I have a number of them under refrigeration. Can't wait to bring these out for a an early spring...

Kevin
www.agardenforthehouse.com

I am ! I havea few tulips and daffodils that I am doing. I put mine in the basement. I have too many veggies and fruits in the refrigerator to be safe for bulbs.

tishrh - good for you. And what restraint you must have. I went overboard with bulb-forcing this year, but I love the sights and scents they provide in January and February.

My bulbs -- planted in 21 pots and 12 vases -- were initially set in the root cellar. But the cellar became too warm once the furnace kicked on. As you can see from the picture, they ended up in the spare refrigerator. I wrote a story about the trials and tribulations of hardy bulbs, and finding appropriately cold quarters for them, on my web site.

I did a paperwhite pot for Christmas. . but cheated.. it was one of those kit plants you get this timeof year.. I was pretty disapponted. Only three small blooms on four bulbs.

At the old farmhouse I would force a lot of spring bulbs.. did them in our cellar. Jeez I miss that cellar!

I had plenty of bulbs this fall and thought about keeping a few to force but I had so much going on that I decided just to get them in the ground. Now I'm sorry that I didn't keep a few out. I just love paperwhites but they don't love me. I get a strong reaction to the smell. What I would really like to make is pots of mixed bulbs. Crocus, daffs and tulips. I saw beautiful mixed pots at the Phila. Flower Show last year.

Blossom - I know what you mean about those kits with puny bulbs. I don't even bother with narcissi from local vendors. I buy mine from a dealer in California, called www.easytogrowbulbs.com. Their paperwhites, available in several varieties, are jumbo-sized, and not at all expensive. I always add gin to the pebbles and water the paperwhites grow in. They stay small, then, and don't require staking. But you probably already know all the gin-trick.

Happy Holidays!
Kevin

HollyAnnS - You might like 'Inball' or 'Winter Sun' paperwhites. These two have practically no scent at all, unless you hold the flowers up to your nose! I wrote about paperwhites and other tropical bulbs that can be forced in pebbles and water here: http://www.agardenforthehouse.com/2009/09/paperwhites-other-narcissus-bulbs-on.html

I, too, would love to combine mixed hardy bulbs in pots. But I fear the crocuses will bloom first, and then fade, just as the daffodils or tulips begin to open! I wonder how the florists get everything to bloom at the same time...is it magic? Or just a keen sense of timing?

Kevin

I was thinking the same thing, you must really have the timing down. first pulling the tulips out then the daffs and the crocus last and getting them in a pot. If we get to the Phila Flower Show again I will try to talk to someone about how they do that and get a couple of pics.

Well, the other day I did some impatien cuttings off the one I brought in the house... and now I have a petunia blooming... dont that beat all, a petunia for Christmas! LOL!

Merry Christmas Everyone!

Impatiens...

Very cool! Are you sucking up the tunia bouquet?

wintergardener... most florist stock is not even grown local or even in this country! Chances are its grown in another country and shipped in.

If you get a chance to watch the New Years Rose parade.. they usually show how things are made on the floats.. they often explain where the flowers come from. Now thats timeing!

Try googling the Rose Parade.. that might be of help! If you find a good link.. let us know here!

I always wanted to work on one of those floats.. Now that would be a miracle in my lifetime to do that! (That and to swim with a dolphin!!!) But anyway... what fun that would be!

Right now Im just counting my blessings to just enjoy a few plants indoors...and praying the power stays on. We have had 2 power outages in 12 hours, down for 3 hours each.. got a little ice storming here.

So in boredom, I cut my dianthus and put the flowers in a vase!

Holly - I may attend the Philadelphia Flower Show this spring. I'm in the Garden Writer's Guild, and they usually hold lots of workshops in Philly during festival-time.

Blossom - is that petunia 'Opera Supreme Pink Morn'? I once wrote an article about its winter-capabilities http://www.agardenforthehouse.com/2009/04/colorful-sweetly-scented-petunias-are_4596.html

Here is a picture of my own 'Pink Morn,' taken last February. Such an amazing plant.

No that petunia is actually a seedling from Total Madness. Its a tad "runty". but I expect later as the plant gobbles the fertilizer I gave it and as it matures it will get better... its only it 3rd bloom and was from the Total Madness mix I had in the basket this summer! Its just a baby!! There are more babies in that pot too.. they might be mixed colors.. time will tell! Im just thrilled to death to have it in the house now! Hope I can take it to spring and get it outdoors where it can have its fun later!

Your Pink Morn is lovely!

Yes, petunias - no matter what variety - are wonderful to have in winter. I especially appreciate mine on frosty mornings, when the scent, which recalls the sweetness of summer, is at its strongest.

You two are making me so sorry I didn't grab those baby Impatiens I had popping up all over the flower beds at the end of the season. I was just so good this fall maybe next year I will be a little more organized and have a little more room.

Holly AnnS, just get some tunia seed and start them now in the house. Put the seed in a pot, water and put some saran over it and they will be popping flowers in no time!

I was a baaaad woman today. Stopped at Als again... seems the little 2 inch $1.99 houseplant sale is a regular thing with them!...

Its time to play name that houseplant again! Jeez I sure wished they would label them! *sigh* but then perhaps that is why they are such a bargain!! LOL!

Heres the new group!

Ok, to make things easier to ID, here they are one at a time!

#1, we know its a hoya and tri colored, but do not know its name....its white, green and a tad purple.


Sorry about the blurr, I just cant seem to get a really super clear close up...

#2 is another hoya, just white and green.... dont know its name though!

#3 - Ima thinking purperea something.. transcantia or something like that??? dont know... and the color is off its purple and fuzzy with a serated leafe, used lots of times in hanging baskets when they are big!

#4 - I know this one, its a hypoestes or the pink polkadot plant.