I'm a cheap date too. Hubby is taking me to a nice restaurant because I just got a $100.00 gift certificate from my work. And then the movies, you guessed it. Free tickets we've had since last Christmas *lmao*
Well, I just did the "tour" this morning and my hopes are a little down. I found 6 rotted leaves and still not 1 root! I thought that I should have roots by now seeing how I put them down on 10/12. I don't want to lose faith yet but it was disheartening to find some of my babies had rotted :(
I NEED to stop being SO obsessive. I hate that! I'm going to end up killing everything if I don't just LEAVE THEM ALONE! I made a vow to myself that I wasn't going to check on them again now for another week. They will be just fine without me I'm sure.
I keep saying, if I had more plants I wouldn't kill these *lol*, is that the sign of a true addict or what? But it seems that no matter how many plants I have, I always find time to baby them to DEATH! I hate having OCD sometimes!
October Bingo Calls page 5
Well Kim, it happens to us all. I also have a problem with potting something up and then I forget it ... then I find it dead! LOL. I learned a long time ago to just "let it go" ..... some things do great for me and some don't. I used to get so upset when a plant died or something didn't take root. I had Strep seeds sprout for me but within a couple of weeks they were dead and gone. Same with leaves. I have had the same thing happen with African Violets as well as generic old house plants! I got to the point where I just say: If it lives, it lives .... it it doesn't, oh well. Nothing I can do now except try again! Don't get too discouraged .... it's not your fault those darned ole' leaves didn't want to take root and grow. But, maybe some of the others in there will be okay. I just took the lid off of a plastic container yesterday - some seeds I planted a few weeks ago .... I found fuzzy mold! I guess it was just too moist and humid in there! Sometimes I think plants have a "brain" and they just get mad at us. All of a sudden a lot of my AV's don't seem real happy! I haven't changed a single thing with them and I'm finding a lot of them struggling and not looking so good.
Well, I gotta run. Should have been out of here an hour ago!
Kim, I hope you know that if you would have had 100% success with those leaves we'd all have to hate you!!! LOL I know I lost at least half of the first ones I put down then with the second ones I pulled on them to see if they had leaves and pulled the roots out and never could get them buried right again and thus no babies on those sections!!! It's all trial and error! The biggest thing I've learned is to let go and enjoy just as Lin says and the second is just damp, not wet or even moist evenly damp........
On this same subject I must admit I was thrilled to death for Gail's granddaughter and her success with the strep leaves but on the other hand I as totally disheartened :( cause hers are so much bigger than mine!!!!! And I put my last batch down first!! Most of mine are still just dinky compared with hers, so what gives with that???? It's Gail's green thumb genes running through her blood I guess!!
Well since we are getting closer to Bingo I'm going to give an approximate time that I will be calling the next two calls!! Then I'm going to go set a timer so I don't forget!!! LOL So it will be between 1:00 and 1:15 mountain standard time!!!! It's 8:45 here right now.
~Brenda
So does that mean 3:00-3:15 eastern daylight?
Brenda and Kim...............I just have to believe that our warm weather has to make a difference in rooting things...............
let's face it.........greenhouses are kept at perfect conditions............our homes have to be warmer inside than people who live in cold climates.............although Hannah and i both had success with straight vermiculite, it did take longer........here are mine right now and it has taken forever to get the job done................
Because it takes so long in vermiculite, I have switched to half perlite and half vermiculite..........
The ones without the veins in vermiculite are Spiritual Corridor
These are the Spin Art and the fancy ones that lady in Corpus gave me.............perlite and vermiculite......keep the dome on all the time......................
Using my regular potting mix is the fastest way.........but I always lose some because I have to be so very careful that the leaves don't rot in the mix........
You can see some empty spots where the mother rotted
Isn't it weird that some have babies and some don't?????????
If you all are trying to make me feel better, it's working. Thanks, I really needed that :)
I have a feeling that the lack of roots is due to the fact that I don't have florescent lighting and the sun is getting weaker every day here in Maine. I think I might have different luck in the spring/summer. I'm not going to give up yet though but I'm also not going to check them for a month or so. I know they should have enough moisture to last at least that long *lol* I think that's what I did wrong. I wasn't sure if they were moist enough so I bottom watered them this past weekend. I think that was a mistake.
Thank you everyone, I needed to hear that :)
Kim
Gail: All those leaves look wonderful! Great growing! You are a pro in my book!
I'm wondering could Kim put hers under a regular lamp to give them more light since she doesn't have the light stands? Maybe stack a few books on a table by a lamp and sit the container on top so they would be close to the light? Would this work? I know I used to do it with AV leaves and it helped.
Yes Diane, Eastern time is two hours later than Mountain time....and just in case I messed that up somehow my timer says the calls will be made in 3 hours and 15 minutes. LOL
Great pictures Gail!! Everything so vibrant and happy and BIG! When Spiritual Corridor goes to the classifieds I want a heads up!! LOL You must be right about the general ambient temperature inside and outside making a difference. I like that explanation better than the fact that I'm just lousy at this!! LOL Even at our warmest here we don't come close to your kind of temps and my house does stay cool here with so many trees around even on the warmest of days.
Kim those simple light sticks you see on Gail's granddaughters light stands are only 9.99 at Wal Mart! Maybe you could get one just for over your strep leaves to give them a little boost of extra light. That is what I grew mine under.
I received this leaf back in June, actually I received 5 from the same person. It was my first try at putting them down AV style. Three of them rotted and died. One of them has a small baby up now and this one, that has so many roots that they are actually growing out the top of the dirt too has no baby?? WHY?? These things have minds of their own! LOL
~Brenda
Here's a top view, not a hint of a baby but roots showing on top!!
as long as they are healthy, Brenda........they will root.............and give you babies.........usually when you just use a stem and not a broad cutting across the leaf, you probably will only have one growing point and get one good plant............but the good part is: they are always the biggest and healthiest babies of all when grown by one petiole of the leaf.........
Plantladylin..........I have a problem...........would you watch my card today.........hate to ask you but have a hopefully final doctor's appointment to check on my bronchitis........(ps...hope he gives me more steroids...........love this much energy) I don't think good doctors give it to you unless you need it............bummer!!!!!!!!!!!!
LOL Gail ... Yes, I will watch your card for you! You are only needing 3, VaWildRose/Karen only needs 2 and me .... well, I'm still hanging on at needing 5 more.
Wonder if we will have a couple of Bingo's today? I Wouldn't be at all surprised!
Well, I'm off to pick up some Sour Cream at the Grocery Store .... forgot it when I went last time and need it for a casserole I'm making for dinner!
thanks Lin..............I was dmailing you while you were posting.........thanks again
ooo...a casserole with sour cream in it....has to be good!!!
I've put a new batch of leaves down in half perlite and half vermeculite. I did some with the stem and some as broad leaf cuttings across the leaf. I soaked some in the seaweed fertilizer over night and some I did with that Hi Fresh Japanese rooting compound. They are all in front of me under a two bulb grow light on my desk. The office is generally the warmest room in our house with two computers going and all the lights on. So I'm anxious to see how they all do and if I can tell a difference between the ones soaked or with the rooting compound. It will be interesting, my winter project!! LOL
My grandson just ran into the room and from the smell of things it's time I get to work!!!!!!! LOL
I think my chest feels heavy Gail, what exactly are your symptoms to end up with those steroids?? I could always use some energy!!!! ROTFLOL
~Brenda
ok im ready for the calls lol
You don't really want what I have had...............my airways were so constricted in my bronchial tubes I was acting like I had asthma he said............but they are good stuff............remember the next time you get sick (LOL)
*****edited to say I have an inhaler I am still using.........love it!!!!!!
I also like physicians.........and trust them.......(not all of them!)
This message was edited Oct 23, 2007 12:39 PM
Last time I had bronchitis bad, they gave me a puffer with Cortizone in it....there was no way I was putting that in my lungs!!! Isn't that the stuff they inject into horses legs?? This time I didn't even go to the doctor, figure it'll go away eventually on it's own...
I think that is where I messed up too. I cut the leaves in wedges for my first try and I probably should have stuck just the entire leaf. I am planning to move them to a different window today when I get out of work where they will get more light. I am taking them off the heat pad too so maybe that will make a difference. I am even considering doing a little dance since I already talk and sing to them *lol*. Oh, maybe that is what I'm doing wrong....they don't like my voice *lol* I thought 10 days was a long time but maybe I'm just being impatient. Anways, I cut the rot off the 6 leaves and stuck what little there was left to each wedge back in the perlite/vermiculite and REFUSE to give up on them!
*lol*
LOL .... I can't even remember to take vitamins! Hubby is so good ... takes his every single day of his life! Maybe that's why he's never sick. He has been teaching at the University for 32 years and only took one sick day in all that time! My problem is I have difficulty swallowing pills ... Advil is about the only size I can get down with my small esophagus. He got me a pill splitter one time but that was too much trouble. So, I started taking the Children's chewables .... did that for quite a few years. Centrum came out a few years ago with an adult chewable, did that for awhile sporadically .... just can't seem to train myself into the habit of taking vitamins. I feel fortunate that at my age I'm not on any medications. I take advil if I get a headache or when arthritis is bothering me but that's about it. I am so lazy!
Threegardeners: The Casserole is so easy (read above where I said I'm lazy)! My youngest sister is a really, really awesome cook and it's a recipe she gave me because she knows I'm not real fond of spending hours in the kitchen! It's a Chicken Poppyseed Casserole. Very few ingredients: 5-6 cooked, seasoned chicken breasts, chopped. (I cheat on this sometimes too and just buy a whole rotisserie chicken from the deli and take the skin off and cut it up!) Easier than having to cook chicken and have a pot to clean! In a separate bowl you just mix 2 cans of cream of chicken soup with one 8oz tub of sour cream. Stir the chopped chicken up in this mixture and pour it into a 9/13 baking dish. Sprinkle 1 1/2 sleeves of Ritz Crackers over the top, and then1 stick of melted butter. Sprinkle top of the casserole with poppy seeds. Bake it @ 350 degrees for @ 40-45 minutes until it's browned on top. I use the Healthy Request Cream of Chicken Soup and only 1/2 stick of melted butter. I know it has a lot of calories but it is easy and hubby really likes it which is fine with me! And, it's good!
sounds yummy!!! I just put it in my favs...
i have copied your recipe, Lin.......thanks.........gotta get going
Sounds good and I might just have to try it. One of my and my DS favorites is take chicken breast and get ready just like you would to fry. Brown really well on one side and turn over, cover and cook until tender. Just about 10 min. before done mix up some good old Stove Top and place it on top and cover again until hot. Serve with some green beans or apple sauce or even a small salad. It is really good and easy. Just for you Lin
Ohh, I love stove top! I'm going to try that one for sure!!
15 minutes and 54 seconds until my timer goes off............
~Brenda
I have all three colanders on!! :0) Now here are today's calls...............
#4 AV Ramblin Sunshine
http://www.avsa.org/Photographs/Ramblin'SunshineLrg.jpg#http://../Photographs/Ramblin'SunshineLrg.jpg#
#33 AV Dancin' Trail
http://www.avsa.org/Photographs/Dancin'TrailLrg.jpg#http://../Photographs/Dancin'TrailLrg.jpg#
I would think that the AVSA could get some better and clearer pictures of some of these AV's....just MHO!!
~Brenda
hehe...Brenda, we gotta have a pic of you wearing 3 colanders!!!!
I'm starting to like trailers....they add a whole new dimension to AV's don't they?
Why oh why does ramblin" sunshine have pinkish flowers?
Janet had both
I had one
Hey Brenda ... are you sure those are the correct calls for today?
GessieGail, VA_Wild_Rose and I don't have either of those on our cards!
Sorry Gail & Karen .... guess I'm bad luck to us all! Maybe tomorrow.
LOL, maybe Brenda should take off those durned hats! I think she needs Rabbit Ears! Some of y'all are old enough to remember those aren't you? Remember those things that sat on top of the t.v. and when you wanted to get a clear picture you had to move them around and jiggle them a bit? Ok Brenda .... break out the rabbit ears for tomorrow's calls!
I don't have either, either!
Maybe there was too much interference with all the colanders?????? LOL
Rabbit ears, hmmm, I'd have to make my own! :0)
~Brenda
Yep! That's definitely the problem! Tomorrow, no more hats .... just rabbit ears! With one pointed southeast!
Love the 3 colanders but didn't get a single number.
I have been sitting waiting for 3 for weeks now *lmao*
Maybe it's rabbit ears we need?
Well, I moved all the strep leaves to the window BEHIND my plant stand which is the most lighted window I have and since they are behind the plant stand, I should have an easier time leaving them alone because I have to pull the whole plant stand out to check on them.
Through trial and error I am certainly learning what NOT to do with streps.
Received 3 beautiful healthy plants and now they look like death warmed over.
Tell me, what is the record that streps can be repotted in a week? I think I hold it!
But.....I REFUSE TO GIVE UP YET!
How nice you look in the 3 colanders. I think you need to hold a shovel in the air and turn three times before you pick the numbers.
Brenda, you're a hoot! ROFLOL but the colanders are working for me... :-)
Great smile!
oh no!!!!!!!!!!!! didn't get either.............now only 5 calls to go...............and no bingos yet?????????????
Thanks, Lin..........for watching.............
My Ramblin' Sunshines don't have that color bloom...............I had a Ramblin Show Spot I sent off today that looked exactly like that pic.................hope I didn't get them mixed up (LOL)
Wow - can't believe so many didn't have either of those - include me in the list, too.