Beaming with glee.........We are family! :)
My First Terrarium & Other Chatter
Good to hear from you Gail !!!!
What a great surprise!! Just made my day to see you here Gail! :))))) Kim, you and your *giggles* did have me curious!! LOL
I just finished an e-mail to you Gail and now your going to see my seedlings again cause I wanted to share them with you and I sent the same pictures to you that I posted above!!!
Jannich McKenzie is awesome! Do you keep her container covered?
Here is a picture of episica Star of Bethlhem with a new bloom. She is one that I have to keep in a covered fish bowl to get to bloom for me. I took her out to get her picture....
~Brenda
I think you have gotten me hooked on AV's
OOOOOH Bren She is just Marvelous! LOVE it!
Is she a peach/yellow or a pink/yellow? What a cutie!
She is a pretty pink with yellow and cream. If I use the flash on my camera it just turns her white so I took the picture with no flash, thus the darkness to it. But it showed off the bloom the best.
This my Chirita Blue Moon that is just now coming to the end of an awesome bloom cycle as you can tell in the picture. Each stalk that came up had two blooms on it and I had 9 stalks up at once. It was awesome and I'm kicking myself for not getting a good picture when she was in her full glory, but you get the idea here as she begins to fade here.......
~Brenda
PS I have my first ever baby chiritas coming up from leaves of this one, I'm going to have lots to share come spring!!!!
Goodness Bren, she is Magnificent!
What stunning colors :)
I know I just keep saying this but I am just in awe of the BEAUTIFUL pictures and plants that people grow :)
Bren, congratulations on your baby chiritas. I have 1 Chirita and am trying to root a couple leafs but not signs of even roots yet :(
Do you remember how long it took for yours?
She is VERY pretty :)
Wow! I'm so glad I found this! Great pics everyone! I've learned so much today by reading this. I do put charcoal in the bottom of terrariums but hadn't heard of the moss. I'm getting'new plant fever' and it's the wrong time of the year! Quick, where can I get a Gessie fix!?
Oh, I want Episcia 'Star of Bethlehem' .... it is Gorgeous! And, Chirita 'Blue Moon'!! Brenda you are an Awesome grower!
WOO HOO ..... GESSIEGAIL IS BACK!
Gail, we missed you and were so sad with the thought that you were gone .... welcome home! The AV forum is not the same without you!
Kim when it comes to rooting leaves and getting babies from them it has taken me about twice as long as anyone else I see on DG. It's always at least a couple of months for me if not three! I blame it on the over all coolness of my house and climate!! But they do eventually come up for me and I'm always thrilled. I need to go get some pictures of my new chirita babies!!
For now check out my Begonia Bubbles....
~Brenda
Oh, I bet Gail sees that Begonia and goes crazy! I think she likes Begonia's too!
Goodness......is that pretty Brenda!
You keep coming up with MORE *lol* That is SO awesome!
I can't wait until I become as good as all you ladies. You truly are all an inspiration to me! Unbelievable!
I LOVE looking at everyone's pictures.
I am going to start a list for my "plant money" fund next spring :)
Today is day 5 and so far........having a hard time today honestly *lol*
Kim you wouldn't be normal if it wasn't really hard for you! :0) All I can say is hang in there and keep spending that plant fund money so there isn't any left!! :)
I went to take a picture for Dimmer of the Hoya Bella cuttings that I put into hydroton 3 or 4 weeks ago and I found a peduncle with a little bloom starting!! Woo Hoo! Look to the far right at the bottom of the longest stem. What a find! But also notice the nice roots that are starting from the stems in the hydroton, fun stuff!
~Brenda
I snapped the chirita babies while I was taking new pictures. Three blue Moon leaves with babies and one Chirita Betty!
~Brenda
I love the leaves of the lipstick plant Black Pagoda, they are gorgeous. But........is anyone other than me less than thrilled with the blooms??? They are so blah to me.... This is my second round of blooms and they haven't improved in my eyes.
~Brenda
This one is for you Jannich! Check out how well Dark Walnut likes it's move from AL to Idaho!!
~Brenda
One more and then it's time to get hot lunch cooked for DH and the crew that will be coming in on this snowy day to eat and warmed up.
Gail here are my Heartland Lime Sherbet babies that are growing from the leave you sent. The one where the whole stem rotted away and the babies came up right on the mid rib on top of mommy!! Separating time coming soon.
~Brenda
Brenda, You are a natural at growing plants! Look at that Hoya bella! I have a hanging basket hoya that was labeled as H. bella but I think it's Lacunosa. The leaves and flower look identical. Flowers smell heavenly too and I haven't been able to tell the difference.
I have 2 large hanging baskets of Lipstick Black Pagoda and some pots stems that I've rooted .... never had blooms on any of them! I am surprised at that flower. I really thought it would be something spectacular! But, the foliage is sooo pretty!
GAIL!!! You're back! You've been SOOOO missed!!!! How did I miss that post earlier? I just popped back in before I left for work and am I glad I did! I'm off to work happier knowing our gessiegail is back! You've made my day.
So true, Susan! I'm the one who's been mowing! My lawnmower got jammed - just quit on me. I called hubby at work and he said the tube that runs from the deck up to the back that holds grass and leaves must be jammed full. He was right and I couldn't get all the leaves out of that long tube thing so it looks like I'm done until he gets home to fix it! I got almost the entire front yard done and will have to finish later this afternoon.
I guess it is strange to some that we are still mowing our lawn down here ... we have to mow 9 months of the year! I don't mind at this time of year though, even at 80 degrees the humidity is real low! I hate the mid summer 90 + temps when the humidity is way up there too and I know you understand that since you live in Ga.
Brenda .... I would rather ride around on my mower any day then have to cook!
This is truly turning out to be a wonderful thread!
I just started it last night and already 101 posts! That's GREAT!
Keep those pictures coming ladies.
Bren, you do grow SO wonderfully. I'm going to look up Chirita Betty and Dark Walnut as those are new names to me :)
That Dark Walnut has just super rich foliage.... just want to give it a hug!
Yeah, the Pagoda....very disappointing blooms. But that foliage is so stunning. I find mine grows like a darn weed and I always have to cut it. I'm going to make my mother in a law a pot of it I think because she loves to kill plants *lol*
Can't wait to get home today and play :)
Gail, I am also tickled pink that you are back! You were SO SO missed by all :)
Kim
I think Dark Walnut is a Kohleria. Jannich sent me a rhizome of that awhile back but it did not live. :(
I have Chirita 'Betty' also but it's a small one and has not grown much. It's one I got from Rob's Violets and they always ship teeny plants.
Thank You Lin, No wonder I couldn't find Episcia Dark Walnut *lol*
That Ms. Betty is SO pretty though :)
I'm not too impressed with Rob's personally. I had a bad experience with him and am not sure I would give him my business again unless I absolutely HAD to for some reason *lol*
He was quite rude over the phone in my opinion.
Is it spring yet? *lol*
Okay Ladies scents we are talking about all kinds of thing and I did see some Hoya up there Branda Sunday I was transplanting some Hoya have no Idea what kind but I found my first flower I have lived here for 2 years now and it is the first one to have buds I am so happy about that I have gotten hoyas in trades and with me didn't write down the names Bad bad girl one day I will catch on and keep track
Brenda I am just in AHHHHH ( Hope thats how you spell it) Your plants are really great looking I have so many but nothing like yours it is almost time for me to get layed off till spring so I have alot of work to do on my plants, I will have to get my daughter-in-law to come and clean I have so much to do with my plants
Kim Never Quite Quitting Have a glass of water
Dimmer/Kim
And here is the plant long ways
Dimmer: Is that possibly the Shooting Star Hoya you've got there? http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/2734/
I have one of these that I just recently got in trade and it has blasted the buds twice since I got it. Drat! I can't wait for it to settle down and keep the buds so I can see those neat blooms!
Lin,
Gram's Hoya Multiflora has blasted it's buds too. The one I sent you and the one I gave Gram are from the same cuttings. Gram asked me why it keeps blasting it's buds and the only reason that I could come up with is that it is possibly just too young to have the strength to carry out the full blossom cycle but be patient, it will and once it does it will bloom ALL THE TIME! There is no scent to them but the flowers are beautiful :)
You know Lin I don't think so but maybe I am starting to take pictures of the trades I get I have 3 different people but it was not in the group I will have to ask Susan51 She has sent me thing and it could have been her
it hasn't come to full term yet its just starting so I will keep an eye out .
Them I notice that I may have to do some transplantting because I think in my last batch I over did the perlite and that is why my dirt is getting dry looking
Gail sorry I didn;t say Hello before and I am happy you are back we do need your advice
Dimmer
Kim, click on the link that Lin posted again. When it opens click on "view them all" and then click on the picture that PalmBob posted and you will see that it VERY much looks like yours. Most hoyas are hangers or viners, this particular one is an upright and there aren't many uprights so I'm pretty convinced yours is the Multiflora :)
You really don't need my advice, Dimmer!
Brenda sent me the most beautiful strep leaves to start and wanting to have babies in a hurry, I used a soil-less mix instead of 1/2 perlite and 1/2 vermiculite. Guess what? Many are rotting but I am not giving up on many of them. That is what I get for being greedy and not using the tried and true method! I think when I rehydrated them in sugar water I left them too long. They only needed about 15 minutes in sugar water.
Oh well, that is how we learn by trial and error!
I took a few pics this afternoon as I was tossing plants out on the shelves that don't look good enough to take up space. This is my project for the next two weeks.
This is the Gloxinia Sylvatica but I am sure hoping she puts up more growth as she went dormant for a while.
I didn't choose a very good place to put Petticoats n Blue (the white footstool)
I got her as a small starter plant this past summer.
This is a closeup of Thumbelina strep. I didn't get rid of her because she looked so bad. Now she has perked up and puts out these soft pink and yellow blooms.
These are the kinds of plant material I am cleaning out. She just didn't root into a pretty plant, but , since i really want Newtown's Quiet Resolve, I am sticking a new leaf of her from this mess and throwing the rest away.
Back to work.
I am so happy to see all of you again.
And we are SO happy you are back Gail!
The colors on that Glox are amazing! They just scream "look at me" *lol*
Thumbelina looks like a graceful, angelic baby. She has that "oh I'm blushing" look :)
I'm sure it looks like alot of work to "clean the shelves" but one shelf at a time, one baby at a time and I'm sure you will be in "ship shape" in no time.
It must be amazing to see all the blooms on your shelves at once. I get excited with 1 new leaf *lol* let alone all those blooms. Goodness, I would be "posing" and photographing them constantly I'm sure *lol* You truly have a green thumb and are SO inspiring.
That goes for all of you too.....Your pictures have just been outstanding and the sizes of your plants.......unbelievable. You all have a knack for these plants and I want to grow up to be just like you :) I'm new to these but maybe with some time under my belt I will be just the like experts I have met on this forum. I feel like one lucky lady to have met you all. It truly is one big family here and this forum has become one of the only forums I "hang my hat" these days :)
Brenda,
I sure wished you hadn't shown me that bloom on the pagoda lipstick as I have pampered and propagated like crazy the cuttings Nan sent me last spring so i could have her put on a show................I guess I didn't take the time to see what the bloom looks like. She is pretty but not nearly as pretty as some lipstick plants.
I think those chirita babies are just too cute!
You will have to show the rest of us all of these new rooting techniques you are learning......and you already have a peduncle!
Dimmer,
Looks like hoyas like you!
I just was checking out all the pictures. Great plants!!
WELCOME BACK GESSIEGAIL!!!!!!!!!
I'm so relieved that you are back with us. It just didn't seem the same without you.
I read on a thread somewhere on this forum that you cleaned the self-water AV pots with vinegar when they scaled up. How do you do this so that the vinegar doesn't stay on the porous inner pot and kill the plants when new water comes thru ? I have four pretty pots that are old and need a good cleaning.
Love this forum and all the members who post. Love the pictures and the chat. Lou
dispatcher1, hello!
Glad to be back
Here is a thread that will show you exactly how to clean a porous pot with vinegar
http://www.bachmans.com/tipsheets/hardscaping/agingandcleaningporouspots.cfm
Thank you for that link, Gail ... I needed that info too!