Just popped in to say HI

Hi all,

I accidently found this forum and what do you know___in the first post I read I learned a new term. Guttation. Isn't DG the best. Talk about some of our favorite subjects and learn as well. I'm a zone 4/5 gardener who can't leave a lot outside like you way south people can.

Here's a cross section of my houseplants. That pothos has been in the same container, same soil for 7 years. It was a plant from our daughter's funeral so I shear it back when it reaches the floor, feed it once or twice a year and let it grow. Notice that one lone bloom on the violet. (He's lucky to have survived the summer when all attention in the gardening world is to things outside!!! But he will be beautiful in a couple of months with a little water and food!! Most of my houseplants are succulents I need to keep over until spring again.
Edited to say: That little cactus on the left came from my country school teacher over 50 years ago. I just keep it going for all the memories it contains.

I'm just trying to figure out what how to handle all my new plants for the winter and saw a post about some window shelving. Guess what?? I just went on a buying spree and bought a whole bunch of ceramic pots. Not exactly the things for putting on window shelves. Knew those lighter weight plastic pots had a good use!!

Anyway, glad I found you and will be possibly joining in a little. Jean

This message was edited Sep 27, 2007 12:12 PM

Hi Jean, and welcome!

I've seen other posts of yours on various forums, and wondered where Delhi, IA, is??
I have many relatives in IA.

We had a frost/freeze 2 weeks ago, and all of the plants I had outdoors are in the garage until they can be sprayed and 'de-buggified' (lol)....and then we begin the dreaded task of bringing them all in to join the already hundreds in there already and trying to find room for all of them!! AARGGH!

I'm strongly considering getting rid of a few succulents so that the sun-loving tropicals can occupy their space on the windowsill for the winter, (though I haven't decided *who* goes yet....if any?) so if you're looking for something in particular, let me know, and I might have it.

I suppose I should get back to work!
TTYL!
edited to change tropiclas to tropicals! (Ü)

This message was edited Sep 27, 2007 2:39 PM

I'm in the ne part of the state about 40 miles from Dubuque if that helps. We come to Gays Mills a couple of times each fall for apples. Such a nice drive. Chat later.

Hi Jean,

I was just noticing your pics and like how you have your san displayed with the smaller rosette sans around the bottom of the tall ones. Thanks for the idea.

Susan

Can I ask an off-topic question, please? I have a sans that has leaves about 4' to 5' long. They are starting to spread apart, versus standing up tall and straight. Any idea why they are doing this? It has been a few years since I repotted them, and it's probably time... but do you have any idea? (Sorry for hijacking this)

Pat

Oh, yeah....lots of Iowa license plates in the area during apple season.
Apple Fest is this weekend!
We live about 6.5 miles from Gays Mills and my DH works in town.

Welcome Jean! Nice plants you have there! Even though I live waaay South, I sure wish I had more window space for my indoor plants! My house is older and we don't have a lot of light. I feel very fortunate that I live in an area where most things can stay outside year round with just some old blankets thrown over them when we have a cold night here and there. I know if I lived where the winters were long and there was lots of snow and ice, I wouldn't have nearly as many plants! I'm always looking for a spot to put more hanging baskets in the winter, so I bought 2 very heavy cast iron decorative brackets that I'm going to hang in front of a window and put a pvc pipe across it to hang a lot of plants! I just need to have hubby get me some of those anchor thingys that go in the hole before screwing them into the wall. Gotta make sure it's sturdy enough to hold a bunch of heavy hanging plants!

plantlady, I love that idea! I might try it out, too! Because I have a lot of plants that have to come in in the winter, and not many places to store them. Good idea!!

Hi Pat! Welcome to you too! Is it possible for you to post a photo of your Sans? I just repotted one yesterday that had been in the same pot for years ... absolutely no soil left ... the thing was all roots! I am not understanding what you mean by the leaves being spread apart? It would really help if we could see a photo.

Here's a pic of some of mine:

Can't do a photo. 'Spreading apart" means that they are beginning to lean, more over, and more over... or 'apart'. Does this make sense?

It does to me, because I have a few that do that.
In my case, I know that these ones aren't getting enought light.
Sans. are great plants for low light in the regard that they'll survive, but they won't grow or 'stay content' there for long.

Do you mean they are kinda drooping, flopping over? Or, maybe growing/reaching towards more light?

Listen to Nan ... she knows plants!

Thanks for the warm welcome everyone.

susancva, I want to add a med. height sans. moonshine which is a solid grey to this grouping. I will need to go to a larger in diameter pot though. I like to cram all that I can in every pot. Anyway it's on my wish list!! You've all got one of those don't you??

FlowrLady, modest light and occasional feeding usually handles the flops. Repotting may be necessary cutting out the floppy leaves. Mine got repotted twice last week since a strong wind came and blew pot and all off the porch. It had just been repotted and I found plants rolling around on the sidewalk. Broke several leaves off of the bird's nest which didn't leave me very happy.

plantladylin, You folks on here are sure full of a lot of great ideas. Sounds like a keeper to me.

Jean: By the way ... Love your username - I used to make home made Strawberry Jam years ago, made me think of that!


Re: Wish List's .... Yep, I believe we all have them! Mine seems to have something added to it every day!

I believe what Nan said is probably right. I had to move to a different desk, away from the window. I guess it makes a difference for my beautiful sans.

Sorry about your birdnest... It will recover.

I have been fertilizing it, and it gets 'some' light. The fluorescent lights are on from 7a to 7p five days a week, and I keep my desk fluorescent light on all the time, and it gets that.

Oh well.

jam is my initials; hey if you don't like yourself___who else can you like!!! And for me it's red raspberry!!

Cute! And, sooo true!

Yum to the raspberry!!

Welcome Jam Lover. I used to make lots of different jams and jellies when I had a family at home to cook for. Now there is only me and I shouldn't be eating a lot of sweets, but I did enjoy making all the different jams and jellies. Now my time is mostly spent on growing plants.

I have one more cart full of plants to go inside my small gh. Was going to do that this morning but woke up to the welcome sound of rain. So the cart full of plants is still sitting out by my shade house. Will go take a couple of photos.

Donna S

Here are 3 not very good photos, think I had camera on wrong setting.

No 1 is the northwest corner of my plant room in the house. Mostly hibiscus. Two pots of 5 or 6 year old hibiscus in 10" pots, both are about 36" tall and almost as wide, and most have buds showing at tips so can't cut back .

No 2 is the top shelf of the lighted plant stand that my oldest son made for me some 30 years ago. There is a skylight above and as you can see one plant light. There is a purplish Phalenopsis orchid in center and a Kohleria Longwood with only one dark pink bloom open.

Rutholive: Looks like you are on the right forum! Wow! You actually have a Plant Room??? Just for plants? I have wanted a room just for plants for a very long time, sorta my own little oasis!

Blurry photo, but I can tell I Love your room!

No. 3 is the middle shelf of plant stand. At far left in middle edge a plant labeled Radermachera shows , I can't find it in my plant books so don't know exactly what it is. In middle lower row is an overgrown Epescia "Lil' Lemon" which is a nice pink. Then a Gerbera which I am trying to entice to bloom again, On right an unlabeled Rex Begonia.

Donna

Hey Lin, I've seen your plant pictures (I think) and you have a huge sun room for all your plants!

Susan

Rutholive: Here's the Plant Files listing for Radermachera: http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/adv_search.php?searcher%5Bcommon%5D=&searcher%5Bfamily%5D=&searcher%5Bgenus%5D=rademacherra&searcher%5Bspecies%5D=&searcher%5Bcultivar%5D=&searcher%5Bhybridizer%5D=&search_prefs%5Bblank_cultivar%5D=&search_prefs%5Bsort_by%5D=rating&images_prefs=both&Search=Search&searcher[genus]=Radermachera


and a photo of mine: "China Doll"

Hi ya Susan: Yeah I have a lot of plants but I can't call this a sun room .... it's pretty dark most of the time .... since it is blocked by the house on one side and the covered deck and shed on the other. But, it is full of plants and birdhouses and junk!

...yep, it looks to me like you have a plant room! :)

That's just one corner ... here's a pic of another part of that room:

That looks a little bit like my kitchen. I have a double window there, and it's completely covered with plants.

Here's more of my Plant area. This is out on the deck looking towards the Florida Room:

OMG Lin! I envy your space and your plant room so much! Hubby is here looking over my shoulder, saying "Wow, that's nice!" And I'm saying, "I KNOW!!! I WANT ONE TOO!!!!!!!"

Karen

Thank You Karen! We have been in this house 32 years and I would love more room! Our house is small 2 Bedroom, 2 bath, small kitchen, small living and dining room and a small study. We added the Florida Room, deck and pool area years ago. I love having all the room for my plants!

Here's a pic of part of the back deck:

And, here's a pic looking from the covered deck out to the pool area:

You have an awesome set-up! It's beautiful. I especially like the sofa ornament in that one shot!!

plantlady, you are blessed!

LOL ... I had to look at the larger picture cause I was confused about the "sofa ornament"!! That's Miss Princess. We inherited her when my Mom passed away 2 1/2 years ago. We already had 4 cats but Mom made me promise to take her cause my sisters all have dogs in the family and she was worried that her cat would be eaten by the dogs! :) I have been saying we should change her name from Princess to Queen cause she thinks she is Queen of this house! She terrorizes our other cats and they outweigh her by ten pounds each! We are down to just the 4 now ... one died about 8 months ago. Someday we want another dog in the family, but it will have to wait til some of these old gal's are gone.

I do count my Blessings every day! We never know for certain what life has in store for us ... Life is so short.

That it is, Lin... that it is!

Your plant area looks like paradise to me!

Lin, thankyou so much for the lead to Radermachera and the picture of yours. How old is yours and I didn't even know it was supposed to bloom. I just bought it because it had pretty foliage. Had a problem keeping ti wet enough this summer in its small container. Will repot soon. Don't know why it isn't shown in my Hort. A to Z book, but did find it in my large Flora book. Hope I can keep it growing until I see a bloom.

Donna

This is the one I have and I didn't think they bloomed!

http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/54477/

I've never seen one in bloom. My sister had this same one for about 20 years or more, it was really large for an indoor house plant ..... she's never really been into houseplants, doesn't have the time but had this one for many, many years and it never bloomed. One day she came home from work and noticed that it just wasn't looking great anymore. After a short while it just died. Maybe mine would bloom if it got more sun. Mine is actually in a shady area, I'd be afraid the intense sun down here would fry it!