WHAT'S HAPPENING TO THE MID-ATLANTIC FORUM?????

It is presently 24 degrees and very windy. One good thing about high wind and snow is that it blows all the snow off of power lines and tree limbs ... but it does result in some high snow drifts. My street has been visited by the snow plow ... but I'm not driving anywhere until I can see the black asphalt.

Younger daughter teaches pre-k and has the week off. She generally visits once a week and we go out to eat and sometimes do a little shopping. She lives in NJ and they are in a state of emergency ... govt offices are closed. Snow plows are stuck and many people are stranded on major interstates ...esp 195 and Garden State Parkway. It is suppose to start warming up and by Thurs a high of 44 is forecasted ... so I am guessing she will probably visit on Wed or Thurs.

I am going to make lentil soup today.

Everyone stay warm and think SPRING.

MARY

We were expecting several inches of snow but we never did get more than a dusting. I will say that it is terrible windy out there and the house was pretty cool this morning. Temps out side are 27* add the wind and it is really cold. I am working in the back room close to the wood/coal stove so I will be nice and toasty today.

Just found this thread.

I am still here - you'll never get me to leave DG. I know a lot of people went over to the other site out of loyalty to Dave and they even went so far as to have their membership stricken from DG. Personally speaking, I have too much time invested in my journaling on this site.

Personally speaking, I have been MIA because my work schedule has been totally nuts. Funny thing because last year they had us off for 1 week out of every month and on unemployment for that week. I am on vacation this week.

Merrymath - welcome to the Midatlantic forum.

Question for all of you - can I root rose cuttings this time of year? Perhaps I should start a new thread.^_^

NO ....not in Athens Pa. It's to dern cold. Wait until you have semi-hard new growth to work with in the new year.

Oh! I was afraid you would say that.....

Gita, So glad you are home safe and sound.
Now make yourself some good chicken soup and get better.

We only got a dusting here also. But, "Baby it's cold outside!"

But, "Baby it's cold outside!" - now that song is going through my head.... love it!

we only got a dusting too. I am so glad!

Brrrrrr.... very cold ... going down to 18 tonight. Most of snow is off my car and driveway and walkway are passable.
People are still stranded in NJ.

Mary

Miserable wind, snow blows and drifts like a blizzard. Both my house doors get blocked with snow every few hours. This has been one nasty irritating storm. LOL

I feel for you all in NJ and East.....You really got hit!
We had just a dusting--literally. So glad--as I am a bit under the weather and would not
like to have to go dig snow to move my car....

Hey, Y'All-----

I cut back my 2 biggest Christmas cactus tonight. Still have a couple more to go
Doc--You inspired me to do this.....

SO! I have a pile of cuttings--all trimmed and ready to root.
They are from 2 different color Cactus. The usual deep pink--and the other one is Red.
In separate bags, of course....
I am nurturing a third variety--Apricot--but it was just a very well rooted cutting of 2 years that bloomed this year.
Cut back the new growth stems and potted them all into a 6" pot...Be 2 more years, I am sure,
till I see the plant growing well and blooming away.

IF any of you want to play around and root these cuttings--let me know, and I will be glad to send
it to you just for postage. I suppose a small bubble envelope will not be more than a dollar-something....

I have piles of these same cuttings that I will take to work, but saved the best ones for DG people.
Wrote up a tutorial, and actually planted two cuttings in 3" clay pots to show everyone how it
should be done... Most people have NO clue!

Will take the box and the cuttings and my notes to work tomorrow.
FREE! To anyone that wants to try rooting these.. I always schlep plants to work....
everyone is used to it....

Send me a D-Mail if you are interested........Gita

This is the common, deep pink one....

Here is the red one....

[quote="Gitagal"]I cut back my 2 biggest Christmas cactus tonight. Still have a couple more to go
Doc--You inspired me to do this.....

quote]

Gita - tell me about cutting back your Christmas cactus - I don't usually do this and yours are about 5 times the size of mine.....

carolyn---
I have never before cut back my X-mas cactus---but, as you know--or should know--"doc" is an
expert on this....He inspired me to do this.....
The ones I posted were a good size--as I bought the pink one out-of-bloom on sale about
4 years ago. Of course--it is my best one--as all the others are much older....
I really want to get rid of them and get new ones.

Most of my X-Cactus are old and woody and droopy. I thought I would cut them back--
what do I have to lose?
I cut back all the "branches" but still left the promising. growing divisions on the plant,

My big pink one got blown down this summer and lost about 1/3 of it. Along with 2 others.
I gathered up the broken pieces and put them on a tray in my dark, cool basement.
They sat there for over a month--as I did not get to them to trim and plant.

Believe it or not--those broken off pieces all bloomed.....just as they were on a tray.
Proves that roots are not necessary for these to bloom. All their energy is in the succulent leaves.

Here are the broken off pieces ...on the tray...This was in October....

Gita

Here are the same pieces--still sitting there in bloom.
The blooms are NOT blue! They are deep pink. it is my el-cheapo camera's fault.

Interesting..... I am now wondering if I should be cutting back my christmas cactus. I have been thinking I should probably fertilize them. I don't normally do that either.... I know that a couple of years ago, I thought about repotting my Red Radiance and instead I just added a new layer of potting soil and the whole plant doubled in size. I was amazed at how much growth that plant had put out in one year....

Carolyn---

I suppose you have to play it by ear....Top dressing is always good...

I think when one cuts anything back--one would expect a burst of new growth.
Fertilizing at this time would seem reasonable. However--do not fertilize with anything strong.
Organic fertilizers work better.....Doc can tell you about those too.....He concocts his own...

Please send doc an e-mail and ask him. He is an amazingly knowledgeable man--
and talks straight talk. NO BS....He will tell you what, and how, to do it.

Post pictures if you can.

Best to you---Gita

Carolyn, I am so glad to hear of someone whose work has gotten busier, instead of all the sad news of layoffs

Sally - that is true and quite honestly we are expanding - I know those that are currently being hired as temps will go permanent quickly. Not a bad thing - a friend of my daughter's was recently looking for work and I did steer her in the direction of my employer. I am hoping they start her there soon - she has 2 very small children.

Gita, We are up over 200 replies on this thread would you like to start another chat thread for us.

Gita,

Beautiful coleus!

Finally decided to update Fritzie's Rattie Terrier column.

http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/693955/

Gita .......... I would LOVE to have some of y our cactus cuttings. I have NONE and would like to get some started!

Thanks!
Patti

Difficult to imagine, but people are still stranded in NJ. Red Cross has set up an emergency station at the Manmouth Mall. People sleeping in theaters. Some main throughfares have not seen a plow. Reports of 4 ft snow drifts. Both the govenor and lt. governor are out of state. Many irate people in NJ.

I can see a wee bit of the black asphalt on my street. They are forecasting for it to be significantly warmer tomorrow ... eventually into the low 40s by Thursday.

MARY.

Your cactus are beautiful. I have the pink and white, some people call that fuchsia and others call it magenta........I could care less what the name is as long as it is pretty. Maybe this is the time to ask, could I or anyone start a GENERAL DISCUSSION GROUP for Holiday Cactus, which would include Christmas, Thanksgiving and Easter Cacti. There is so much to learn and these flowers are heirloom plants that if grown properly go on for generations. I want to learn but as you know, when you go on a forum and ask a question it had better be on the subject being discussed. It takes too long to find the right forum, therefore, I would like to start the General Discussion Group. Would anyone be interested or is that not a good idea. Please be honest. I do not want to duplicate anything on this or any other forum, I just want to be able to go to one place and get information when I need it.
Please tell me what you think, I will not be upset or angry if it is not a good idea. I will be happy to start it if someone tells me how. LOL We all have so much to share, yet some people are not interested in Cacti and if there was a forum just for Holiday Cacti it seems to me it would save all of us alot of time and research. Gita and Doc already have so much to share. I can contribute some. Let me hear your thoughts, please.

JB .... I would like to see a forum dedicated to HOLIDAY CACTI. I would like to glean the expertise and experiences of others.

MARY

I believe they are currently included in the Orchid Cactus/Epi forums.... It would be nice to have them separated out....

http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/f/episetc/all/

r


Carolyn, they are included and if they are discussing Epi or Rhipsalis or whatever, and you ask a question about a Zygo or Easter Cacti, you get told not to change the subject, to stick to the subject or start your own .................it has happened to me and that is why I am seriously thinking of a forum for Holiday Cacti where people can ask questions about any of them, any time and not feel like they are doing wrong. No question is silly but you can feel really silly if you ask a question in a forum that is not discussing the particular plant you are asking about. Easter Cacti are Rhipsalidopsis gaertneri and they were discussing other Rhipsalis and I got told to stick to the subject. Actually, they were discussing both the Thanksgiving cacti and the Rhip, so how was I to know????
I never went back except to apologize to the person who started the forum. She was very nice but the one member was really rude.

J -

Not sure what happened, but I do agree with you on having a separate forum. Perhaps you should approach the admin on this...

I have done that Carolyn and I am waiting for an answer. I have my doubts and if so, I guess we are stuck starting one under S and C and just hunting it each time we want to post. It will take so much time each time we have a thought or questions. Time is money to many of us and some cooperation on the part of the Admn. would be wonderful. Let's keep our fingers crossed. Maybe we could do it on the other list if they do not let us to it here.
I have not been there in ages and do not even know how that is set up. Hmmmm a thought to consider.
Mary, you belong to the other group too. Is it set up so a new forum could be started?

"other list", "other group" ?????

JB ...... I think it is fairly easy. They have a Mid Atlantic section .... I suggest if you decide to do it there to ask in the Mid Atlantic section ... under Magpie chat if you need help.

It just takes time to figure how to manuever ... I am still discovering new avenues at that site.

MARY

Thanks Mary,
I prefer to do it here if possible. Most of these people are friends and we have a bond. If not I will be over there looking around. i really want to begin some dialog about these cacti and honestly I am at a loss trying to do it on fifty different different chats. It just does not work.

But, we will wait and see what the admn. says.

J -

If they don't, you can always start your own group on the other site......

I know Carolyn but this is my home and favorite place, at least it was. We will see. We do need to do something, just a matter of what and where. Have a good evening. I am going to have dinner now. Hugs. JB

JBerger- I can't of course speak to what happened on Orchid Ca/ Epi forum. I would sure hope that if one started a new thread with specific Q about Holiday cactus they should be accomodated. Now, if there's a snob group in charge, well, can't say...
Inddor Gardening an Houseplants has seemed a friendly enough forum.
And if you want to start a thread here in Mid Atlantic, that'd be fine.

JB--

I would think that we could start a new Post right here. This is a bunch of informed, helpful people.
If you tell me what to call this new Post--I will be happy to start it for you.

I agree that the Orchid Cactus Forum is a bit diverse--mostly focusing on Epis and NBC.
I have gone there in the past and gotten good help. But--we have people here that are just as smart!

Holly--by golly......we ARE above 200 some Posts! How time flies!
If you could bear with this for a day more--I will start a #2 Post.
tomorrow night when I get home from work.

Seems JB and some others have immediate issues that need discussion.
If I move this Post to a new Post now--all that is here will be forgotten. I know I seldom
go back if a Post is moved on....

Patti--send me a D-mail. I don't think it is fair to talk trades and plant/seed requwsts
on a Post. I will send you what you want--I already have your address....

I set up a small table at work today with all my cuttings and a real Th-Giv. cactus as an example.
It was an impromptu decision on my own part. No one in Managment minded!
Also--some 3" clay pots. Gave away a lot of cuttings and sold 8-- 3" clay pots @ 98 cents each.
Whoopie!
So much for an hour and a half of my time--but it is the overall caring and generosity that may
bring people back into our store. We do do unique things.....at least I do.

Look for part #2 to this Post tomorrow evening.

Gita
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