Thank you about my men I think I will keep them...LOL and Diane in the summer with the passions flowers I can take cuttings to send you if you remind me...I am brain dead...Allot of them are hardy for you Diane.. If I can keep them alive until spring I have allot of diffrent ones... This is the latest I have stayed up in ages... I think this old lady is off to bed....
I really enjoyed today... I had 12 days off for the holidays and all hell broke loose... Today was a wonderful day.. Thank you ladies...
Hugs,
Susan
A NEW Day of Gratitude and Love
Good Morning Ladies...
Well I went to bed at around 2:30 and work up with a very bad dream I was chocking and when I woke up I puked... It is 14 degrees here now and my body is playing games with me... I hurt like the dickens... I have Fibro. and most days I kick it to the side as I have a very high tolerance of pain but I already just took to pain killers and I am hoping to go back to bed... I can barely move my elbows. and my knees are acting up also... Shoot life always has a way of jumping in..... Have no fear I will be back later as I have to go out again to find my lights and bulbs.... I am so afraid to touch the babies I have to pot them in seperate cups... I guess it sounds stupid to all who do this like it is nothing... I just don't want to rock the boat as they are livingLOLOL
Hugs,
Sue
Wow, just woke up this morning and realized I really missed the party last night!
SO many beautiful pictures and wonderful stories!
Welcome home Kim! Hope you had a WONDERFUL vacation!
Diane, I see that I posted that I had 1 little baby Salmon Sunset on the old thread. I will find it this morning and put your name on it. I did put down 2 leaves yesterday of it though as I must have only put down as this one seems more reluctant to give babies than some of the others.
For those starting leaves, SOME hybrids give you TONS of babies with wonderful roots, some will give a few and some will give only 1 or 2. I am finding that to be normal. Some will make babies right away it seems and others need to grow and grow and grow before they shoot up a baby. Patience.........LOTS of patience *lol* I THINK I'm BEGINNING to learn the patience thing but I'm not 100% sure of that on some days *lol*
I also have the Purple Oxalis Triangularis but I let it go to sleep for the winter time as I didnt' have room for alot of the Oxalis on my shelf. These are so easy and fun to grow :) I May part with lots of my Oxalis this spring and replace them with gessie's.
Susan, I love all your pictures. What is that blue flower in the picture with your BEAUTIFUL adenium? Is that a Streptocarpella? What a pretty plant, SO dainty. I love the furry leaves on it too. You have some very pretty plants and some very HANDSOME looking guys there :) What a happy camper you must be :)
I can't wait until spring. I have so many plants I want to part with and consolidate and add :) Everything needs to be re-potted and many of them are coming out of their "fancy pots" which take up too much room and going into "cheap pots" as a community. If they make it, they make it....if not, there is a gessie to replace it *lol*
I'm finding that in my house Nematanthus is easier for me than Columnea and Aeschynatanthus for some reason Lin. Remember the yellow Columnea you sent me? It's just BARELY hanging on. The Nematanthus is doing so/so. I had an issue with some sort of a mealie? but not my usual mealie more like the bug I get on my Adenium leaves which is like a scale? Anyways, I made the mistake of putting TOO much Ortho when I watered and even though I have unpotted and re-potted it, it is having a hard time recovering. I'm soooo disappointed with myself as I loved the Nematanthus but it's not completely dead yet so I keep talking to it and telling it how sorry I am that I did that to it. Every now and then it will put out a new leaf so I think it's beginning to accept my apology *lol*.
Susan, I hope you feel better. I watch my dad suffer with fibro and my heart aches for him so I know the pain you must feel. My dad refuses to take pain meds and some days he can barely move. It takes him 10 minutes just to get out of the car. It brings tears to my eyes. Needless to say, he prays to "go home" every night.
I am SO glad it's Friday :) Wooo Hooo!
Everyone have a GREAT day, and I'll try to catch up again real soon :)
Kim
Morning Kim,
My doctor yells at me for not taking the meds as I should, she always tells me I come to her half dead then she has to get out the big guns and give me shots... but if I can move to me I don't need them... This morning was a diffrent story... I felt awful... Like that truck had come back but this time it wanted to finish the job... So I took two pain killers.. They are not doing much as of this typing... My back in the middle is killing me now... Oh well this to shall pass...
I am not sure what that is but will look for the tag later... Gail knew what it was and she told me it was in the AV family...
Kim if you want to part with some of those Oxalis I would be more then willing to send postage for them or I would buy some from you.... Out of all the flowers that have been blooming those flowers have kept me at times when I was low with all that has been going on here to keep smiling... I called the nice lady who gave them to me lastnight and told her how much they mean to me... So they are keepers... They came in a cut down mild carton and I have never taken them out as they seem to love it... So if it's not broke don't fix it...LOL
I am hoping to take a nap here in a few... See that is another problem... If I take drugs I won't drive... I am perfect to drive but my head won't let me... God forbid if I had an accident even if not my fault I would say maybe I would have avoided that if I did not take the pills... So I will have to wait at least 4 or 5 hours before I will even get in a car... I know weird... I just think people take so many things that they think are HEY just NORMAL... and pow things happen... So I will stay home and rest for a few then see how it goes... I think it is the weather doing this... It is only 13 outside as I type and I really think it is the cold in my joints doing this... I can be fine at work like just sore but when I have to drive home for that 30 mins. by the time I get out of the car it hurts like the dickens.... So I can feel for you dad... My doctor also told me I can get a Handy Cap car sticker and I told her no way so long as my legs can move they are moving... If you don't use it you loose it is my motto....
Ok off to get some orange juice.. Oh Kim one more thing which one of my plants is a adenium? I know the latin names of nothing...LOL
Hugs,
Susan
Feel better Susan. Fibro is such a terrible disease!
((((( Susan ))))) Whether it's a fibro flare or one of the bugs that are going around, I hope you get better fast! I know what you mean about not driving... I don't drive the rest of the day if I've taken any pain meds for a bad migraine. I'd rather err on the side of caution. I loved the photos of Fred and Rosa. Fred & Eliot could be twins, right down to the color of their eyes!
You know Jill when you had him and at first you did not think you could keep him (now mind you I may have you mixed up again) I wanted so bad to say I would take him... Then I said no there has to be one here and I could save him.. . Well they say someone dies and one is born... Well that day we put my sons dog to sleep and Fred was going to put down on that next day and I told the girl you better not crook this cat before I get here... She said she would not... They do not do adoptions on Sunday so it was the longest Sunday I had had in a long time... I got him... He is just so sweet... He fits like a glove with the rest of the critters...LOL
This is not the crud... Trust me I know the diffrence... If it does not get better I will have to call her to give me shots... Happy happy joy joy...LOL
Jill you also take it easy.... We need you here as your family does.... For those of you who don't know Jill and I have met at a swap this past summer... Let me tell you she is even better in person... I very nice person.... Also Kim(Dimmer) is coming to visit with us also here in the next few weeks or the begining of Feb.... She is a trip and a half.... A true friend I found there...
Hugs,
Susan
Your Adenium is the fat caudex plant with the pink/white bloom that is in the picture with the blue fuzzy leafed....Streptocarpella? VERY nice Adenium. I have 3 and 1 is VERY special to me...I named her Zora, I saved her from HD last year.
Here is a shot of her this summer:
Thanks Kim,
I was always told she is a dessert rose... I saved the second one from Wal-Mart and she is sleeping now for the winter but the first one keeps a blooming...LOL
Did you get my email?
Hugs,
Susan
You're not mixed up at all... Blake despised Eliot at first sight, and since Blake has always taken to kittens immediately we figured he'd made his decision... and after 17 years, I figured the choice was Blake's. But just as I was lining up prospective homes (and Becky, another DGer, had spoken up for him too), Blake changed his mind, and now they are buddies! Jim and I were laughing at them wrestling just now. Eliot is still outmatched by several pounds but determined to "take down" the Big Cat.
Kim, that's a stunning Adenium! I've got a couple under lights in the basement that I need to pay more attention to... I grew them from seed last winter, and they may be big enough for blooms soon. :-) And I think Desert Rose is their common name.
My goodness, everyone is up and 'at it' this morning. If I don't quit watching football games every night I am going to get my days and nights mixed up!
I am so sorry for anyone who has the fibromyalgia (I can't spell it) but I have a couple of friends with it and say it hurts so badly. Take care of yourself and take your meds before the pain gets so bad (so says 'dr' gessiegail)
Everyone's pictures are so much fun.
Susan- get to feeling better- take care of yourself!!! And I will hold you to your promise of those Passion Flower cuttings! LOL
Kim- Your Zora is beautiful!! You have a right to be proud of her
AWWWW Diane Thank You so much, I was quite proud of Zora as I wasn't sure I would ever get it to bloom here in Maine.
OK, I VERY excited this afternoon! This is the very first time I get to do a group photo! I am SO tickled.
Aren't they just SO cute? I am SO adoring them and keep looking at them. I move them here, and then there and take a picture this way and then that way *lol* I really am a nut and these just totally made my day!
I crossed these 2 today:
Spadedust (mom)
Salmon Sunset (Dad)
Diane,
Here is your baby this spring :)
See your name on it? *lol*
It will be tiny but it doesn't take these little guys to start throwing up their first blooms :)
I am giving it some GOOD food and caring for it all the time so it should be a little bigger than this when it comes shipping time :)
Absolutely Stunning Kim!
Lin, I hope you still have room in your heart to try streps again :)
I have all kinds of babies and if they can make it here in Maine under my care I think they can make it anywhere :)
This message was edited Jan 4, 2008 4:06 PM
Kim, you have a lot more patience than I do. I am going to try to pare down all of my plants around here! I don't want to get to the point where I get depressed to take a vacation with worrying if any plants will be dead when I return! LOL. Some day I may try a strep again but not in the forseeable future. I'm gonna try real, real hard to get organized and de-cluttered this year!!
Kim,
Those are just beautiful flowers... I can't wait for the day I may see blooms like that....
Diane, I am good on my word so long as you remind me...LOLOL You can ask a few of the ladies here I send what I say I will... They would be out the door today if I knew they would live but they will not... So we will wait until spring....
I don't know how much I will be on later as I am now hurting again and I feel like crap... I also did not sleep well and that also has allot to do with it....
Hugs to all,
Susan
Oh thanks Kim! You're so sweet! I can hardly wait. Have to see what I can come up with for you??!!
No.....did you post it somewhere Diane?
Oh and Sue, I will send you the purple Oxalis you want when I send you a box of babies this spring too :)
Going to put your name on them now :)
Susan- get some rest then join us again later- You know none of us are ever away for too long!
Yeah, you all partied without me last night........HOPEFULLY not tonight (unless I HAVE to go do the grocery thing....which I HOPE to get out of *lol*). Usually Sunday is my "hang out" in the garden day but I'm HOPING hubby says........no groceries tonight......oh and let's order a pizza *lol*
Kim- I'm new to the Gesneriads so don't have much. But have quite a bit of other things. I have a large Philo. collection and a few Hoyas- nothing compared to most on this site though! A few young Epiphyllums- anything sound tempting yet? Have to think of what else....
I missed out yesterday too Kim! I worked until afternoon then took my son to run some of his errands then did my usual Wal-Mart grocery night. And had no sooner gotten home and here came my brother-in-law and his wife who stayed until 10:30! Worming in on my DG time! LOL
Oh Diane it's my turn to "pay it forward". I have to offer a few friends here who got me started my babies first but I promise that there will be PLENTY of babies left and you can have your pick of what's left for postage. Does that sound fair? There will be LOTS of babies to go around :)
That's fair but I'd feel better giving too!
I forgot about my Episcias! I need to cut stolons off and pot them up but I'm scared! I've never done it before- who on here can hold my hand and tell me what exactly to do???
Did you say Episcia..........tilts head to the side.........well......maybe if you have some stolons I could be tempted *lol*.
I've rooted a few stolons from friends but really don't think I'm one to give advice for them because I only have rooted the few babies I have right now and quite honestly, I think they rooted by miracle for me so I will let someone who has done this more than once help you here Diane :)
Here is a picture of a baby that I received from a dear friend in October. It was a TINY little baby and was still in an incubator when it arrived. It is still only in a 2 1/2 inch pot but look how happy it is. They don't have to be big to bloom :) AND it's big enough that I took a leaf cutting and will stick the leaf today :)
She should open up full by tomorrow :) This is Inky Frills. I will post a picture when she opens all the way up :)
LOL Kim you're so funny! So you would like Episcias? Well let's figure out how to propagate those stolons! I got up the courage a while back and cut off 2 little leaves to try rooting- and Well, um, got impatient to see if it worked and all I did was give them a little tug to see if it took and I felt rip! I WAS rooted but croaked after that>
Accirdently posted and wasn't finished
What is your cute little Inky Frills? It's so tiny!
Stolons are MUCH easier to do than leaves on Episcia.
What I would recommend is this:
A VERY light might of 50% perlite/50% AV mix which is thoroughly MOIST but NOT wet. put them under a dome and provide bottom heat if you can. If you can't provide bottom heat, that's OK but they root faster if you can. There's no rush though.......spring is still quite a ways away. It's good to get a bit of "stem" when you cut the stolon and you can "pin" down the stem/stolon with a paperclip if you unwrap the paper clip. If you have metal U Pins those are GREAT for doing this.
This is just my recommendation but I have only done it once.
What episcia do you have?
Inky Frills is a baby strep :)
That's the question I have- How much do you cut off? Or rather how much stem - some of my stolons are longer than others. And if you don't cut all the way to the stem, do you cut off what is left? Taht was a lot of questions...
I will make a list of them and post it. I have 11 different ones.
PLEASE wait to hear from someone who has more experience with these than I do before you cut them OK but the ones I rooted had about 1/2 inch of stem on them.
Here is a great thread on rooting them from SnowRose:
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/666481/
After reading that , I hope mine do OK. I may have to move them because the temps may be too cool. I have them by my north facing front door. But they are in an aquarium I've put plexiglass on with a light suction cupped on. Don't know if being contained and the light will keep them warmer
Hi Ladies: Just popping in again between dinner and then we are heading out to a Basketball Game!
I have really fallen for Episcia's and have a few that I've gotten in trades. So far, so good ... I've only had two of them bloom. The Episcia fimbriata Blue Heaven bloomed it's head off this summer and fall. And, I've had exactly 2 little blooms on E. Pink Panther! I know if I would get on a good feeding schedule they would probably all do much better in the bloom department!
The very first little stolons I got in a trade did not survive. They seem to do better for me if they have a bit of stem also. I have started them in glass or plastic jars/containers with lids or plastic wrap over the top and under the lights. I've never used heat mats, had never heard of them before joining DG, but I bet that bottom heat would help get some roots started! I'm hoping to find some 8" & 10" hanging baskets to buy before too long that I can use for repotting episcia's.
Well, gotta get dinner on the table and them off to the game!
Have a great evening everyone and keep those great photo's coming!
Well I gave myself a little pep talk and just went for! Good grief!- I've only been doing plants for 25 YEARS! Come on Diane have a little confidence in yourself! What's the worst that could happen?! Seems like I'm always dealing with my fear of failure. holds me back from a lot. Anyway.... My history/experience/common sense told me to start with 2 that had a little larger stolons. Clipped them off at the base then clipped them 1/4-1/2? inch long. Took my good potting mix, added a little perlite and moistened it then stuck 'em in! I even stuck the leaf that I broke off during the proces of taking them all out and the couple of extra leaves on one of the stolons- those might not work, but oh well, worth a shot!
One stolon was Pink Panther, Lin! The other was Pink Gator which I think is just a magnificent color.
I NEED to have a sense of fear of failing!! I have always jumped in with both feet not knowing one thing just to see what happened. Sometimes it works and other times it doesn't but I would never learn if i didn't keep trying and trying.
i am still doing that. Before I realized that the violet group wanted to me get in on the show, I cheated and put all my avs in 4" pots when they needed 3" pots. (just to save a step)........well, guess what? Cheating doesn't work......i think I am going to have to either repot into 3" as they won't bloom unless they are pot bound OR forget the show this time and next time do it right and don't cut corners.
Gail I ENVY you're confidence to jump in with both feet and just go for it. I think that's how most people succeed in life! Much better than never trying...