Hello everyone,
I have a question about now that the cc's are finished blooming,how does the care of them change? I read your suppose to give them a rest period with less sun and less water.My plants are putting out new growth now.When do you start feeding them and what is the best fertilizer to use?I've heard people say to use one with a higher middle number for blooms and roots & i've heard use a even ratio.Not a cactus fertilizer the one i have is like 2-7-7.Wait til it warms up (temp this morning at 6am was 58* here)All of my house plants have had new growth all winter,but we have had 2 nights below freezing & 1 in the low 20's.Could that be why my plants (all of them) never took a break.
The plants I bought this year are so root bound and i know they like to be but i can't get a finger through the roots to check moisture,been going by weight of pot.When to you repot new plants.I had to repot one because there was so many in the pot it was killer some of the smaller plants.It seems to be doing ok.I done inside a climate controlled building.
I have also heard the best time for pruning is after blooming not spring.
Sorry for all the questions but now that they are finished blooming, I want to make sure they're cared for properly sun,water,fertilizer and do they take less light now while inside.I'm going to put them out this spring.
Thanks for time and patience
Jo
Holiday Cacti general Discussionpart #4.
Ruby- do you have a south facing place against your house outside? A wall that gets sun a good part of the day in winter? If so you may try getting the plant nestled down, pot into the ground, and fluff / pile dry leaves around it, or straw. It says hardy to about 25 degrees. Worst case, it frezes and I get more to you next season. I have done this with other succulents and had the base of the plant live to sprout again.
.I hereby grant Ruby permission and absolution to kill a Pigs ear kalanchoe I knew when I gave it to you that it doesn't look good over winter- my bad!
Jo Jo, I am not even going to attempt to answer your questions, but I will tell you what works for me. I am too old and too busy to get into the real nitty gritty of mixing soils and fertilizer for matching plants , fertilizers, etc.
Anything in the greenhouse gets whatever I am using at that time. Even the Iron, Fish etc. They all seem to like it.
This has been one of the most unusual years I have ever been through with my Schlums and other cactus. Since I do not force mine to bloom like most people, and leave nature take its course, I have all mine still in a state of "blooming" They have not stopped since Sept or Oct whenever they began. If they ever stop blooming I will let them rest for about two weeks and that should be about February or March. I will then begin to take cuttings for this years Fall sales. Since I am all but sold out of last years I will have very few larger starters to begin with this year. I have about twenty different colors at this point and am down to about four that are now available. Spring is the best time to take cuttings but it can be done any time of year with success. I use rooting powder to help prevent rotting because I keep my cuttings very moist. I fertilize maybe twice a year, depending on the location of the plants. I use the regular liquid miracle grow and they thrive on it. But, I also use different medium at times and that too will make the fertilizer more frequent depending on what the cuttings are in.
Forgive me if this is not what you are looking for, but maybe some of the younger , more into that good stuff, can answer your questions regarding the numbers on your fertilizer. JB
JB,thank you so much,
What you said made the answers to my questions a lot simpler than what I sometimes read or get from other people(you should try asking anything on hoya's) no disrespect meant & not even necessarily on this forum!!! I feel better about how I'm caring for my cc's now.You always are a big help along with everyone.This is the friendliest thread i have even found.
The CC's can tolerate less sun for a short period,since they will go outside fairly soon here,the lack of as much light shouldn't have a bad effect.
Unless it's harming my plant i will wait to repot the 2 new ones until spring.
Fertilizer became the most complicated thing i ever run across with growing plants.When I tried to read some of what A.Tapla had wrote.I think what i have should be fine.I have 3 boxes each having one nutrient high than the others.I think that covers all plants,foliage,blooming.Plants inside & the ones in the yard.Along with a slow release.
I did get a better understanding of the purpose of the npk ratio on all fertilizer from what A.Tapla had wrote he was writing about soil-less planting medium.His plants seem to grow beautiful in rocks and bark(for lack of correct terminology). It was way over my head,did learn about fertilizer though!!.
If anyone has any suggestions,willing to share what they use to pot their CC's in,I would love to hear what others have found to work or not to work.
I did have to repot a small CC recently I used 1 part loam 2-peat 1-vermiculite & some perlite.I don't like the way perlite looks it always floats to the top.This recipe is close to one I read a lady use's and she also added small pieces of orchid bark.I didn't have any & i don't know anything about orchid bark except it's added to potting mediums??
Nice day everyone
Jojo.
JO, google Coca Core and see what you think of it. I use that to start some of my cuttings, both CC, Jasmine, gardenias, after I put them in water for a few weeks. Again, it depends on the person and what works for them. It is a very interesting medium to use and I see more people using it all the time. I hate using it because eventually you need to transplant everything and that, when you are selling is extra expense you need to pass along. Just would like you to think about maybe using it. Things seem to root quickly if you keep it damp, but it dries out quickly. I will be waiting to see what you think of it.
JoJo and JB---
For the first time ever--I am using Pro Mix on all my cuttings and potting....
I think it has worked exceptionally....compared to MG Potting Mix and other such Mixes.
I bought a bale of it last fall at a local produce/veggie/flower stand that also has greenhouses. $18,99/bale.
It is soooo compressed that I have yet to, hardly, scratch the surface.
Besides that--I have kept all my CC cuttings rooting under my seed lights set-up. WOW! They all sure love that!
Not only the light--but also the warmth the lights provide....Everything is doing wonderfully.
JoJo--listen to JB. She knows what she is doing!!!!
JB--My new baby CC's cuttings are doing great! Seems they have all rooted.....now the wait begins to see when they will
put out new growth. Do you have any encouraging words?
Seems my leaf-cuttings take about 2 years to get going and to bloom. You seem to be able to sell them in less that a year.
Do you wait until yours are blooming--or in bud--before you sell them---or just when you know they are rooted???
Again--I am NOT planing to sell any--just asking a question....
Today, again, it was 60* here.....What a lovely day!!!! Cold and some light snow is coming this weekend...
I decided to wash all mu kitchen windows. Baby steps here----Baby steps.....I hate cleaning on a major scale...
But--It has been 4 or 5 yrs. since i washed my windows,,,,,hanging my head in shame.....
LR and DR are done. Now Kitchen is done too. have the BR to go. Never mind the lower levels of the house...
No one goes there anyway.....My kitchen is the most pathetic of all "rooms".....in all aspects.
JB--Here is my new batch of CC divisions and leaf-sections I had gathere this fall/winter.
Many of them are from broken off sections from the racks at HD and Lowes.
The Salmon ones are all from my own plant I pinched back after it bloomed....
Gita
Here is some of them---
JB---
Here is most of the bunch----under my seed lights.
i have the "older" new cuttings in my window sashes....a lot of them....
They have all done blooming--the ones that did---should I now pinch back the ones that DID bloom
so they can grow fuller for the coming year?
Seems they have now been out of bloom long enough to "rest". Time to pinch back.....??????
Thanks, Gita
JoJoe, et al,
I have no experience or expertize when it comes to your questions above on CC growing. What I do have are some beginner "clues" on what these plants need because I know where they grow naturally. They are native to Central America and the coast of Brazil, so I think tropical rainforest (misty, moisture, quick draining ) and probably sensitive to extended periods of cold but okay with cool or quite warm. They live in the forest canopy where they receive filtered light, not direct sun. They are epiphytes, which means they live on other plants like trees rather than in soil. So, their roots are the way they hold themselves in place, their anchors, not the way they feed themselves or drink, They make all their food in their fleshy leaf like stems. Their roots grow out until they fit tight and securely in the branch crook or hollow they occupy. Then they put out segment after segment some branches of which can be 13 feet long! And the flowers....Wow, can you imagine?
Any how, when I look at mine, that's what I think about. So, I think that "keeping the soil evenly moist" means keeping some moisture mini climate around the plant. without drownng their anchors. Back in the day (hippie) we used to take our house plants in the shower once or twice a month . Bet my ccs would like that better than a watering can drink!
Just my musings on these new to me plants...seems they are easy to grow, hard to kill, low maintainence and tolerant of neglect. And with a little luck or some short day/ long day tricks will bloom a delightful bloom to brighten our spirits and give us something to chat about here!
I thyink one of the books mentioned earlier has maps and pictures of where they grow and what they look like pre mass marketing.Here is a link to Wikipedia on Schlumbergeras
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schlumbergera
coleup. from what I have read, your advice is right on the mark, and should help one understand the plant.
Most of my cuttings are sold before they are even a year old. They are rooted and are sold as starters. I never misrepresent them to anyone. If they want unrooted cuttings I will sell them those, but most people want them already started. I think you could sell them gita if you wanted to. If you wait until they bloom, you will get more for them, but it costs you more to keep them longer. It just depends on what you want to do with them. I think if I had the space I would keep them longer and put several in pots and sell them that way to a farm market or whatever.
Not many farm markets have christmas cactus if you notice. At least not here in NJ .
Cole, read all you can and you will become as addicted as the rest of us. If you read up on the Schlumbergera and see how many different species there are, then how many colors you will want them all. If you want to have some fun, spend some time on Whittongreenhouses.com site and look at all they have and drool. JB
I don't know how many of you have had young boys in your life recently but there is a cartoon my son liked that really applies here.
plants are like "pokemon", gotta have 'em all. LOL ( I am trying)
JB--
I really would not know who I could sell my CC's or my BIG-growing Brug cuttings to????
There are 2 farm-type market-Roadside Stands near me. However--I think most garden centers would be leery
taking something from just a regular person as they would not know the conditions the plants have been grown in,
or--if, by any chance, they would have a patent on some of them.
I would never want to get in such a mess in.
I would love to get rid of some of my monster-growing Brug cuttings....
At the rate they are growing--I have NO idea what i will do with them waiting for May when they can go outside...
******Anyone living in the Baltimore/DC area--please come and get some of these Brugs!!...
They are healthy--NO bugs on any of them. You would be doing me a favor! Gita
You could sell them on eBay! On Daves Garden.....the people are out there and they. It takes some time but I have fun doing it.
JB---
I REALLY, REALLY do not want to have to do all the careful packaging to mail any live plants......because I do it RIGHT!
It is very time-consuming--(I am sure you know about all that!) and hard to estimate the postage until I mail it.
On the other hand--everything I have ever mailed, anywhere, --seeds....cuttings....rooted plants----all I have ever asked for
is to be reimbursed for postage. I am not running a plant mailing business...just sharing what i have
and happy to get the postage reimbursed. No one, in all these years, has ever stiffed me by not sending back the postage....
I suppose I am an exception--as I do not need to make money off of my cuttings, seeds or plants....
Sometimes I check out the "Marketplace" and am appalled what people ask for just seeds!!!!
I have, at this point, about 55 different seeds in my "Haves" list. I COULD charge for them!!!
A small Bubble envelope, under 13oz., mails for $1.71
I could ask--like--$3 for the mailing. However--this just this does not "sit right" with me.
Many times people DO send me more than the actual postage--and I appreciate that.
I always D-mail them and thank them for their generosity--or to just let them know I got the postage.
My generosity has been compromised on a couple of occasions.....
There is a Chinese man in Canada, (who I thought was a woman for years--b/c of the name) who asked me for
1000 seeds of my Wintersweet Shrub. He wanted to spread all these seeds around his whole Chinese community.
Seemed he was running some kind of a benevolent, obsessive need to populate the WS Shrub.
If you are not aware of this--the WS is a very special plant to the Chinese....with all kinds of uses and properties.
SO! I packaged 100 small zip-baggies with 10 seeds in each--with directions included on how to germinate them.
Mailed it off--and he repaid me the postage......
THEN--he wanted 1000 more seeds--and I said "NO!". That is when I realized that he was obsessive/compulsive with
spreading this plant all over his area by running some kind of a "business" of being able to get these seeds (from me)
and to distribute them too all his community. Last I heard--he is still getting requests and has filled them by finding another
source for the seeds.
NOW! I could have sent him another 1000 seeds--as this shrub produces an insane # of seeds every year--
but I realized that I should NOT fall for his scheme....
We still keep in touch--and there are no hard feelings. He has found another source to fill the demand for more WS seeds.
I even wrote him, when he asked for more, that NO ONE needed 10 seeds of this plant--and that he could, easily, split up
the baggies in half and keep providing seeds to all these people requesting them--but just 5 seeds each.
In the long run---I live to share what I have and not expect any payment fot sharing.
Seems to personify Dave's garden to me....
Perhaps--I am a "diamond in the rough".......as I often think of myself. ASK! and you shall receive!!!!
This is from 2008. I gathered more than this on 2011. YES! I have enough seeds----I just do not like greed!
Hi all!
I am including a links here to how "commercial" growers produce our Holiday cactus.
http://extension.umass.edu/floriculture/fact-sheets/commercial-production-holiday-cacti
http://www.ag.auburn.edu/hort/landscape/Hcactus.htm
They take single mature segment cuttings in March and stick them in 72 cells or individual pots singly or double or more 4 inch pot or above.
Light is maintained at long day hours and then short day to promote bud formation and set. Plants may be bottom watered and/ or misted for 30 seconds each hour for 12 hrs/day. Most are grown with bottom heat at nite temps of no lower than 60 degrees. Day time temps are between 70 and 85 degrees depending on how much growth needs to be promoted to finish the plants to salable size.
Plants are pinched once or twice pre bloom inducement. Final pinch occurs just prior to switch to short day treatment and all stem segments under 1 cm are removed as they are too small to produce blooms. Generally, also at this time, a growth regulator is applied to maximize
bloom production .and set.
___________________________________________________
Hope this helps .
Also, if Indashade who posted earlier in this thread can raise Schlums from SEED to bloom in 13 months one would think that we casual fanciers could do so from cuttings! Gita, have you looked at the growth pictures on page one at 5 mos and page 2 at 13 months on her album? JB can you post a pic or two of what you offer size- wise as a starter plant so we can compare? Thanks.
This message was edited Jan 13, 2012 9:02 PM
WOW, Judy!
You are really getting into all this....YOU GO--Girl!!!!!
You are the queen of digging up links t posts and web-sites.....Keep it up!!!! Gita
Judy both of those are good links. Thanks. I noticed the UMass Extension one is upgraded from back in March of last year. Looks much better this year. As far as the size of my plants. Depending on who I sell them to. Retail or wholesale, the size differs. It depends on what kind of a market you have for them. Maybe you need to do some research on what would sell .. in the meantime keep cutting and growing. Also, you need to check with your Dept of Ag to see if you have any restrictions on shipping your plants to insure they get delivered and not stopped at a state inspection station and left to die.
Here are some cuttings that are for sale. But,.I have sold smaller and I have sold larger. It is so depending on what people want.
Just be sure to advertise them as "starter" otherwise you will get flak big time. My descriptions always show a picture of the mature plant or flower and then the small one so they know which they are buying. Hope this helps. I will be glad to send people your way if you have a color or plant that I do not. That is the best way to do it because then people realize we work together and do out best to please the customer. LOL JB
JB--
Those AV's are pretty big for being under a year old!
Did you start with one "leaf" or a bigger cutting to root? Just one per pot--or several?
Mine would have to be growing close to 3 years to get to that size.
Of course--I do not have a Greenhouse. I bet the warmth and humidity helps a lot.
No one has answered my question a few posts up--so I will ask it again of you.
By bigger baby CC's, from a couple of years ago, are all done blooming (or not).
They are putting out some new growths.
I want to pinch then back to encourage a more compact growth. Should I? Could I?
Thanks, Gita.
Took this picture just now. These are the better ones......
I realized how dry I am allowing these little plants--some are almost dessicated!
in clay pots to get. Shame on me!!!
[quote="Gitagal"]JB--
Those AV's are pretty big for being under a year old!
Did you start with one "leaf" or a bigger cutting to root? Just one per pot--or several?
Gita what is an AV?
I sent the picture of the starters to show Judy the size of some I sell. Not sure what you are referring to here. I do not know how old those plants are, they are just a photo I found of some for sale. Sorry I can't reply until I understand. I am so dumb. LOL
I did not answer your question about pinching back the CCs, but I would think if they are getting straggly give it a try and just keep your clippings and root them....waste not want not....remember???? What can it hurt. Maybe they will not flower for a year, but so what?
Hey, do I owe you any postage. I do not remember if I ever sent you the postage for the cuttings you sent me? Please let me know and I will send it immediately. JB
JB--I am the dumb one here.....
I had just watered my African Violets (AV's) and then sat down to write the above post.
I meant to ask about my CC's--but instead, I wrote AV's as they were still on my mind.....
I even added a caption under that picture (in My Documents) and called them AV's.
I will make sure I water all the baby CC's and then pinch some back. What do I have to lose???
I certainly do not need any more Baby CC's.
JB--The cuttings of the salmon CC was a gift to you. No postage reimbursement needed!
How are they doing? They sure are sturdier than most of my other ones!
Sorry I confused you--we all use so many abbreviations here......
Hugs---Gita
This is the bloom of my red CC. It's "leaves" are paler, smaller, but sturdy as well.
In the picture I sent (above) the cutting on top left is a red one.
Maybe you can see in the picture below that the sections look a bit different from others.
Gita, I would love to buy some of your brugs, and maybe some Christmas cactus too. I had a wonderful collection of brugs, but lost them when I wasn't able to take care of them after my last spinal surgery.
Judy, thanks for those links, I will check them out today. It is too cold to get outside.
My puppy is tearing up a lot of plants so I am hoping it will warm up soon so I can go on a scavenger hunt and search for the ones she has pulled out of their pots. Yesterday I found 2 lilies, an iris and a day lily. this morning I found another iris, a daylily and 3 other empty pots. She pulls the plants out and then chews on the pots. I yelled at her and she ran back in the house and jumped right in the bed with Daddy. She must have thought I was going to beat her or something.
Oh well, must get to work.
Hope everyone has a great day.
Linda
Good to hear you can be as "goofy" as me. Thought it was my age. LOL What is your excuse. HUgs. JB
I really think my Schlumbergera benefit from me using Miracle Gro Organic Potting soil amended with perlite and vermiculite. And even though this soil has a bit of nutrition in it (In the form of poultry feathers I believe), I also shake a scant bit of Osmocote into it as well.
I know this goes against conventional wisdom, but I don't use any mix that is heavy in peat. It holds too much water. The Miracle Gro Organic Potting soil has small bits of bark in it. With the other stuff that I add to it, it drains well and dries quickly. In fact, sometimes my plants dry out TOO quick.
The schlumbergera seedlings that I started in August and September of this year aren't growing as quickly as the first batch did. I REALLY hit the first batch hard with fish emulsion though, when they were small seedlings. I didn't do that with the current batch, and that may have made all the difference. Who knows though-- some of them bloom when they are quite small. And I frequently get bloom on cuttings in one year.
Play around and break the rules. That's how we learn! :-)
Hey Rouxcrew (Joy) I noticed that today is your birthday! Well, Happy Birthday! I hope today and this new year is a great one for you.
Have you tackled the big red Christmas Cactus repotting adventure yet? Thanks for offering to swap some "cuttings" with me, That is very sweet of you, but my house is not set up to keep plants alive indoors All of my gardening is seasonally outside. I just bought 2 ccs this Nov so I would have something other than web photos to refer to as I learn on this thread with all of the wonderful posters here.
I did read somewhere about someone's struggles with a big ole specimin with ever so long dangly arms. She. too, was afraid of breaking off whole segments and how to lift and maneuvor the giant plant! Her solution was an old pair of panty hose which she used to contain the plant during transplant. Think of those paper cones that bouquets or ferns or palms come in...Set pot in hose, pull up, cut only a big enough opening in crotch area to slip over pot and use legs to tie as securely as possible around base of plant(s). Then gently work the panty hose up around the plant encouraging the stems into a more upright position until most are secured inside. You can then lift the hose and the whole plant shoud be handlable with minimum breakage..
Remember to repot up only one pot size or just replace the old soil with new in same pot. And, if yours has ceased blooming and had a couple of weeks to rest, I've heard it suggested that then would be a good time (before new growth) to remove one to even up to four segments from each branch. Supposedly this encourages branching and more new segments to grow which will be where buds will form this Fall.
AAgain, this is just stuff I've read so Id defer to any of you real life {non vitually enhanced) growers to chime in. Like Inda, and Gita, and JB and Sally have often said in this thread "find and do what works for you" and have fun!
Judy
Gita, et al,
Good news for all us cutting takers and segment rescuers. Both of the "commercial production" links say that cuttings are taken Dec to March and can be Stored for up to 3 months before sticking them! Evidently, cuttings root better and grow better when day length is longer than night length (Equinox) and temperatures are warmer ie March.
" Propagation
Holiday cactus is propagated by rooting mature, single-segment cuttings obtained from vegetative stock plants. Cuttings should be removed from stock plants by twisting 180 and pulling upwards. Mature terminal and subterminal segments should be used for propagation. Collect cuttings in clean, pathogen-free containers. Cuttings can be surface- disinfected by a five-minute dip in diluted bleach (6.5 fluid ounces Chlorox per gallon of water) followed by a thorough rinsing in tap water. Cuttings can be stored for up to three months, and the optimum storage conditions are 50-59º F and 85-95% relative humidity"
Sally, thanks for your comment on my remarks about where these plants grow naturally. I forgot to mention that in their native haunts there is a dry season and a rainy season which probably got translated in to "withhold water" rather than more correctly "keep moist but don't overwater" as schlums are more tolerant of under watering than overwatering which rots the roots.
Inda, Just intuitively I like the MG Organic mix you describe. At least it contains something (bark) that those anchor roots would naturally search out and bind to like they do in the tropical forest canopies!
More later you all. Stay warm and JB, enjoy your extended season of blooms. You surely must live right to be so blessed after the Christmas season rush on the farm! Now you do have time to enjoy a bit.
Judy
JB---You are too funny!!!!! Good way to deal with "dumb" moments...
I don't need an excuse! I am a serious senior myself----and those "dumb moments"
come more and more often. Multi-tasking can lead to confusion...especially if all tasks
in the queue seem to be eaqually important...
Judy!
You are starting to sound absolutely smart re CC's. You go Girl!!! Keep it up!!!
Hope you can make it to this year's seed swap in Frederick.
it's about time everyone gets to see you and know you.
You would LOVE all the food available there!!!!! All you can eat....
Please try!!!!
Gita
I really think Schlumbergera like the open, airy soils the best. They seem to respond better when their roots can get into the various damp nooks and crannies of the organic potting mix and absorb moisture that way, rather than having their roots encased in a peat based mixture.
That said, you really have to open up the Miracle Gro Organic potting mixture with perlite if you are going to use it with Schlumbergera. It has very little to no amendments like that in it as it comes out of the bag.
I frequently use the non-disolvable packing peanuts in the bottom of my pots to improve drainage. I often find, when I am repotting a Schlumbergera, that the roots have grown down around and into the packing peanuts in such a fashion that I cannot remove them. I just repot them, packing peanuts and all, into a larger pot. They seem to really like the medium that the packing peanuts provide because it's open!
Hey Crit, always good to hear from you and get news of how offspring of offspring coleus are doing. I don't think they are good for pets to eat though. What is it about some cats and some dogs and PLASTIC? Is there something in plastic that make chewing on pots or bags that is irresistable to them? My cats have a look they do when they know they have been caught in the act but are determined to repeat the crime the next time I'm not looking. We used to say to our dog Buster, "Don't even think about it!" Did you ever find another job?
Ibarto, Linda...That's so sad to have lost your plants but you did the right thing by not totally stressing or over doing health wise. Sounds like you could be the answer to Gita's green (Brug) thumb abundance!!!
Just think Linda, as our climate continues to shift to the warmer we'll be able to grow our ccs out of doors year round with a bit of cover. and Gita won't have to lug her brugs in every Fall!
Inda, I love the packing peanuts and see how that could really help with drainage and root rot, too. Do you use shallow or deep pots? Do you find a difference? Do you use peanuts in your starter pots or only after potting up?
Wow, packing peanuts and panty hose all in one day! Here is what a clever Australian gardener did with panty hose and zygocactus in her garden down under.
http://www.igarden.com.au/archivedBlog.jsp?id=724
More great info coleup.
Anyone who has not read 'tapla'"s advice on potting soil and drainage, should, (Somewhere in houseplants) THe man knows what he's talking about. It is correct that too much peat is soggy. If the soil is too loose, I don't think wilting hurts a plant near as much, if at all, as root rot.
I have some cc starts that I saved from an untimely death broken off the mother plant and dying on the shelf below at Wal-Mart. They are rooting and doing nicely. I just laid them some of them on top of the dirt to see how they would do and planted the others. Both ways are rooting nicely.
Hello, I'm Patti and I am a broken plant rescuer. ^_^
Have not tackled the big red one, I am waiting for a few branches to finish blooming. I do like the idea of the pantyhose and will certainly give it a try. The problem I am having with it is that some of the branches are breaking off all by themselves while in bloom. Reminds me of a tree with overloaded branches.
What do I do with them? I have put a couple in nearby pots that were handy but they are usually several segments and have included a "y". Not to mention the flowers.
I love the soil info, I have some orchid potting bark that isn't getting any use so I will mix it into the soil container.
Patti, I also pick up the orphans at the stores and try to save them. I carry a small ziplock with me in my purse for just such an occasion. I also have pruning shears, bags and a small shovel in my car. It all dates back to my rose rustling days.
Joy
Joy---
Welcome to this Thread! It is a wonderful place to be...HONEST!--with all kinds of questions answered and all kinds of
"on hand" advice given....Never any arguing nor any animosity.
First of all--I am NOT an expert on all things Holiday Cactus. We, here, have more knowledgeable people...Like JB.
I too have lost large sections of a CC. Mostly, I think, because i have over watered them and the old, woody stems just rotted out.
And, sometimes, it just got blown over while outside in the summer--from its Plant Stand....
I am a compulsive propagator....Hmmmm---What would Freud say about that????
I can also tell you that I have, successfully rooted larger sections of CC. Just--really, really pay attention to the watering...
No roots! NO need for much water....Just keep it barely moist. When new growth starts--you can give a bit more water....
Filtered light--as no sunlight needed while plants are rooting. Warmth is good. It is when the leaves grow--they need light.
Of course--you can take tip-cuttings and root them. Kind of like a second life to an old plant. Bury the "bones" of the
old one. Do you see the parallel? Life always goes on --no matter what.
I believe plants are like us---we get to be 70 or 80 or 90 years old--and no one wants any "organ donations" from us.
We are simply--TOO old. Too worn out! Same for plants. After years and years--they too get "TOO OLD"....
Many people feel sentimental about passed down plants. And they struggle with woody, old and dying plants
for the sake of "preserving" them for posterity and in the memory of those whom we inherited them from.
Hey! They already have had their "posterity"!!! They, already, have lived their lives to the best they can.
Take healthy new growths from the tips and root them and you will still be preserving the plant for "posterity"...
It does NOT, necessarily, need to be the original, old, worn out, dying plant! It died a graceful death....Amen!
Think of it as the old plant being an "Organ Donor".....A little of this--a little of that---and it will regenerate and become
a whole new "original" plant. You will STILL be saving it--and your deceased Granny or Opap will still live in the leaves
and roots of the plant.
BUT---think about it this way---Now YOU will be able to pass it on to YOUR Grand kids
as the Holiday Cactus that YOU inherited from YOUR Grandmother....Same genes--NO?
Just a different look at posterity... Life ALWAYS goes on--one way or another!
Just "think outside the Box"!
As an example. When was the last time you saw a "Swedish Ivy" for sale???? I do not even remember!
I have had one for almost 25 years Same for an Angel Wing Begonia.
I continue to take cuttings and to propagate these two plants--because I CAN!
I love to share them--they are wonderful Houseplants. WHERE did they go?????
How about the "Prayer Plant"? Both the red one and the green.
The "Purple Passion" plant????
The Hoyas? Especially the variegated one.
The Lipstick Vines? The ones that bloom like a lipstick.
There used to be so many more that you seldom see any more.....
WHY did someone decide NOT to propagate these any more??????
The $64,000 question!
Now I feel all sad...............Gita
Just waxing philosophical tonight-----Gita
In my area Gita, swedish ivy and string of hearts and pearls are making a comeback, but for years, they were hard to find. I may have lost my purple passion vine, it lost it's purple in the greenhouse last winter and this past fall I noticed it was trying to die back to 1 stem. I am trying to keep it alive. We will see.
I've always been afraid to pick up the stems in walmart and home depot. I felt as though they would think I was stealing parts of their plants or something. I guess I am just weird that way.
Joy, did I hear it was your birthday? If so, I hope you had an awesome day.
Judy, at this rate, I love global warming ( at least in the winter months). We didn't have our first killing frost until about January 8th or 9th this year. I could get used to it. LOL It must mean that march will be brutal though.
My yard is full of plants that I inherited from my grandma and her sister, or my father in law and my aunt. I love those old plants and can tell you each one's history. ( some they inherited from their parents or grandparents too). Those are the best. I don't have any of their house plants tho, although I do have some that they enjoyed.
My mother in Law loved the purple passion vine and the string of hearts, my grandma was crazy over the wandering jew that was green with bright white stripes and something that I am really searching for called an onion vine.
I am still wondering about the little Easter cactus. It is struggling, but maybe it will survive.
Gotta run, it is raining so I can get my house cleaned today and then play in the dirt tomorrow.
Sea ya later.
Linda---
Is this what you call "onion vine"? I call it "Climbing Onion"... have had it for years!!!
It is a slow grower--as there are big "onions" it grows from. The only way it can be propagated is removing
one of the "onions" when, and IF, they split. Mine finally split a year ago. before that, I had already shared
one of the :onions: with someone who said she had been looking for this plant for 3 years!
The Purple Passion vine needs full sun or very bright light to show the deep purple it is known for.
Maybe in your G-House, in the winter, there just was not enough light.
It also is one of these plants that just does not like too much water. Kind of touch and go on the watering it.
I am also growing a little Easter cactus. It is doing well and putting out new growth. I have a bigger one I have had for years.
I do not know a lot about its care--it seems to do its own thing...
Maybe, after it blooms this year, I will take some tip sections off and root those.
Here is my Climbing Onion..It is NOW that it grows all these fronds. I have it on a small windowsill in my laundry room--
along with a zillion Pregnant Onions. The climbing onion has obliterated the whole window with its winter
growth of fronds. They are very delicate--and break off easily.
This is from 2006.
You can see the base-bulbs "onions" it grows from.
It is also known as "Sea Onion". The official name of it is---Bowiea volubilis.
That is really pretty and delicate Gita. I will have to look for it. Does it do well outside in the summer?
Crit--you may have a hard time finding this plant.....Yes! it does well outside for the summer in filtered sun,
Try to go t PF and see if anyone has it to sell/trade. Try the most Southern States..maybe CA or FL.
Gita
OK, thanks Gita
Yes Gita, that is it! My grandmother had a beauty shop in her home with an east and south facing wall of glass windows with 5 or 6 inch window panes. She had white lacy curtains in there and a huge mirror. That onion vine or climbing onion was beautiful in those growing conditions. It fascinated me. I will have to search and see if I can find one. She also had the wandering jew that looked like it was striped with white paint. It was so pretty. I found that plant a couple of years ago. I loved spending time in the shop watching her work and keeping up with all her ladies. LOL I think I spent more time in there growing up than I did playing as a kid. It was my special spot.
My mom sent me some pregnant onions several years ago. I accidentally left them out 1 year and learned they are very hardy here. Even last year when it snowed, they came back.
gotta run.
Linda
Gita, Linda, et al Logees has the onion plant......$14.95.
Off to get some things done while puppy sleeps.