Gemma wrote: ↑Sun Oct 16, 2022 9:58 pm

rubyduby wrote: ↑Sat Oct 15, 2022 1:53 pm
Everything looks so healthy Gemma! I am still in awe of that greenhouse! Ahhh...to have that kind of energy again...I miss it terribly!

Awww you are the sweetest person ever!
I love plants so much I think I actually gain energy rather than losing it when I tend to them

rubyduby wrote: ↑Sat Oct 15, 2022 11:14 pm

j.w wrote: ↑Sat Oct 15, 2022 5:48 pm

rubyduby wrote: ↑Sat Oct 15, 2022 1:53 pm
Everything looks so healthy Gemma! I am still in awe of that greenhouse! Ahhh...to have that kind of energy again...I miss it terribly!

I agree @Gemma is still in that energy mode to do everything she can w/all those lovely plants and gain more and more of them. As for me I have downsized it all and given away a bunch of my plants and I don't acquire anymore. There just comes a time and my energy nowadays goes to outdoor activities like hiking or riding the bicycle or the needed chores of ponding and yard work.
Forget about the house cleaning unless I am having a visitor than I am like a mad woman running around doing everything in an hour or two just before they arrive crazy lady 8.gif

I'm just like you j.w...I am down to two houseplants and whatever lives in the dustbunnies:) Would much rather be outside...humidity is brutal here though..glad it's October..should be getting dryer.

Gemma wrote: ↑Fri Dec 09, 2022 8:06 pm Here's an update on the houseplants @brokensword gave me so he can see I'm taking good care of them.
The orchid I moved it out of that basket cause size wise wasn't looking good. I tied it on a deer horn hubby found out in the yard



The Hoya is doing great



The Gasterias are happy and you can see one is about to bloom



I forgot the name of this one below but it's doing really good



and this last one is the Coleus I removed from the bog when I cleaned it for end of season.
I wasn't sure if it'd survive being yanked from the water and potted, but I had to try saving it and I'm glad I did cause it is beautiful

brokensword wrote: ↑Fri Dec 09, 2022 9:33 pm

Gemma wrote: ↑Fri Dec 09, 2022 8:06 pm Here's an update on the houseplants @brokensword gave me so he can see I'm taking good care of them.
The orchid I moved it out of that basket cause size wise wasn't looking good. I tied it on a deer horn hubby found out in the yard



The Hoya is doing great



The Gasterias are happy and you can see one is about to bloom



I forgot the name of this one below but it's doing really good



and this last one is the Coleus I removed from the bog when I cleaned it for end of season.
I wasn't sure if it'd survive being yanked from the water and potted, but I had to try saving it and I'm glad I did cause it is beautiful

I don't know the exact name of the one you couldn't remember, but it IS a succulent!

Yep, those other two will put out very long tendrils and have itty bitty little flowers. Enjoy!

Make sure you mist that orchid regularly; without any bark around the roots, it will try and take water from the air so if your house is a bit dry in the winter (like most MI homes), it may suffer. Misting regularly (even every day) will not hurt it. The roots have a type of velvet covering that absorbs water like a sponge. If the roots were covered, you could get by with watering once a week like I do. Hope it does well for you -- has great flowers and has always faithfully bloomed for me, often twice a year (uncommon for most orchids). And remember to water weakly, weekly (like 1/4 normal for plants; I use the turtle pool water in the winter but you can just ad 1/4 dose of soluble fert to your mister).

I've always had great luck with coleus every year - they're definitely an easy and great one to both over winter as well as take cuttings. I have 3 now in the turtle pool to be planted outside the pondhouse NEXT summer. This way, when I get a great variety, I can keep it!

Gemma wrote: ↑Mon Dec 12, 2022 7:07 pm
Thanks for all the plants, tips on taking good care of them and especially thank you for teaching me that Coleus can be grown in water...speaking of water, are you all set with pond plants for next year? I know you don't need Taro or water lily, but do you want water canna, umbrella palm both tall and mini, marshmarigold ?

brokensword wrote: ↑Mon Dec 12, 2022 8:54 pm

Gemma wrote: ↑Mon Dec 12, 2022 7:07 pm
Thanks for all the plants, tips on taking good care of them and especially thank you for teaching me that Coleus can be grown in water...speaking of water, are you all set with pond plants for next year? I know you don't need Taro or water lily, but do you want water canna, umbrella palm both tall and mini, marshmarigold ?

You're very welcome; I am very glad they went to someone who actually cares, you know? Gave some to mrsBrokensword to give to her co-workers and heard some after-stories that made me think it was a mistake!

Yep, coleus are very versatile; can grow in sun and shade, water and soil, and there's a ton of varieties. They do brighten up areas of shade very well.

Maybe the umbrella (I don't have one) but I need to think on if I want ANOTHER plant in the basement overwintering, you know? Trying to get away from so much work each fall; I ain't gettin' any younger! I'll let you know closer to spring. And too, need to assess if size of the plant will interfere with the current zen, don'tcha know! (I ain't got a lot of room either!)



oh looky; one of @j.w 's lil green children got loose...!

venus_flytrap_eating_wapday-com-1965662114.gif

j.w wrote: ↑Tue Dec 13, 2022 2:19 am

Taint my arm! Must be one of the servants. Now see you will just have more work put on you due to one less armed servant. GET BUSY! @Gemma is getting tired of peddling!
garbage pile.gif

Gemma wrote: ↑Sun Feb 26, 2023 9:39 pm @brokensword my orchid got infested with almost invisible white insects and it is not looking so good, any suggestions?
I've never seen this type of insect before last year, they were allover my garden and some came in with the plants I overwinter inside and I've been fighting them since
They have killed all the verbena, a few geraniums and a couple of other plants but I'd never seen them going after the orchid, until now...what can I do? I don't think I can spray the orchid with Seven or BioAdvance
Help

brokensword wrote: ↑Sun Feb 26, 2023 11:08 pm

Gemma wrote: ↑Sun Feb 26, 2023 9:39 pm @brokensword my orchid got infested with almost invisible white insects and it is not looking so good, any suggestions?
I've never seen this type of insect before last year, they were allover my garden and some came in with the plants I overwinter inside and I've been fighting them since
They have killed all the verbena, a few geraniums and a couple of other plants but I'd never seen them going after the orchid, until now...what can I do? I don't think I can spray the orchid with Seven or BioAdvance
Help

for something 'safer' you could spray with soapy water, regularly, top and bottom of each plant, until all your plants look okay. Not sure what type bug. I've gotten scale types on the orchid and it usually involves completely going over every part with an alcohol wipe. Summer is better; the scale stuff seems to be more noticeable in winter. Unless your Sevin or the other pesiticide is oil based (and even then, might still be okay), I'd go with something that is more all-purpose insect killer. Orchids aren't that bad because they're basically a bulb and are pretty tough, unless the rot/disease has progressed. Too, maybe put up some of those sticky fly trap tapes and see if you atract anything. This is if you think they can fly, of course, but the traps are cheap. I have a couple in my basement for some bit of gnat activity I often get in the winter via decaying pond plants I'm overwintering with the turtles.

The soap solution should kill them but you might have to do it often to kill any eggs. Obviously, if you could ascertain the type bug it is, then google is your friend, but when I don't know, I start with soapy water spray and then go to the all-purpose bug spray, even with orchids. For your other plants (even the orchid), I'd make sure the soil gets some of either spray in case eggs/bugs are living there, too. Going to take some commitment and perseverance to make sure you get them all. I'd probably make sure BEFORE you bring in any plants from outside, that you spray with the bug spray and let them dry before moving everything into the greenhouse. You may have to go over the greenhouse if it's infected; perhaps take everything out this spring/summer and set off a bug bomb? Should kill anything left inside, bug-wise.

Hope some of this helps; for future plants, you can also use a systemic, monthly, and that helps keep an infestation from happening. I do this with a few trees outside that are prone to stuff like emerald borers and the like. I'm not fond of using chemicals but sometimes, it's your only real option. Good luck!