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The Amaryllises that I got at the flower show are blooming!
My amaryllises are blooming! The orange one is called is called a Ster Van Holland, and the pink one is called Pink Surprise. These photographs were taken about two weeks ago.
My Daisy Tree
What is often called a daisy tree is a Marguerite that has been trained to grow as a single stem. Marguerites belong to the Daisy family and are perennials that grow in the form of a shrub. They are grown mostly in the southwestern United States. In 2 to 3 years, a seedling can be trained to grow like a tree. This can be accomplished by removing all the buds that form on the stem, and then pinching the top of the stem when it’s reached the correct height. By the second year the stem will have become brown and woody, and all of the growth will be pushed toward the top. To keep the shape, prune some stems back to the crown, and pinch alternate stems back by one-third to one-half. New stems will develop from buds remaining on the stems. Remove any buds that grow on the upright “trunk” of the plant.
Marguerites like full sunshine and regular watering during the summer, and greenhouse protection in the winter months. The tops are susceptible to frost damage and the entire plant will die if left outdoors when the weather gets cold. I read on the Internet, that it’s not a good candidate for indoor growing because the intensity of light during the wintertime is too low in the average household. The plants are great for seasonal color in the summertime, but unless you have a greenhouse, it will be difficult to keep it year after year. I have realized that people who try to sell these plants often fail to mention that they don’t make good houseplants. Both at the flower show, and also at a local garden center, I specifically asked whether this type of plant could live indoors, and at both places I was told that it could. This just goes to show that very often sellers will mislead you just to make a sale. This is why it’s often a good idea to do some research on a plant before making a purchase.
I bought the plant in the pictures above at Gethsemane Garden Center in Chicago for $24.99. I was told when I bought it that it would live indoors, but now based upon what I read on the Internet, I’m starting to doubt whether or not it’s going to live until next year. I don’t know if I will be able to provide it with adequate light during the winter months.
My purple-leaf Crinum is s starting to grow
I posted a question on Facebook about the name of the plant that I purchased at the Chicago flower show. It is called a purple-leaf Crinum. I planted it on Tuesday, and it is already starting to grow, but no leaves yet. I will post a photograph when the leaves start to come out.
I went back to the flower show on Sunday to look for a daisy tree
When I went to the flower show last Thursday, I saw a daisy tree that I liked, but I decided not to give it at that time. I always feel like an idiot when I do things like this. I decided on Sunday that I really wanted the daisy tree, so I went back to see if it was there, and they were all sold out! I’m going to order one from the shop that was there, but I was very disappointed because I paid money again to go in, and what I wanted was not there.
I bought another big bulb that’s going to grow into a big houseplant which I can’t remember the name at the moment, but I will post about it again later when the plant starts to grow. It’s going to have purple leaves, so I’m very interested to see what it’s going to look like. I already have one just like it that has green leaves.
Returning to my discussion about the daisy tree, I guess the moral of the story is when I go to the flower show, if I think I want to buy something, I should just buy it instead of waiting to think about it so I don’t need to spend all that money again just to go back and look for it. The Chicago flower show is great, but it’s incredibly expensive particularly for me because I have to go there with my caregiver, so I pay double every time I go. Also, as I mentioned before parking in the garage at Navy Pier cost $30, so that’s another big expense. If you love plants like I do, then it’s worth it, but I can certainly understand why a lot of people don’t bother to go there. The one good thing is that I am a member of The Chicago Botanic Garden, so I get a discount on the tickets. I know that this post is not very well organized, but I just wanted to get these thoughts down while they were on my mind.
The Chicago Flower and Garden Show
I went to the Chicago Flower and Garden Show yesterday, and bought three new amaryllises! Unfortunately, they’re just bulbs at the moment so I won’t have anything to show you until they bloom, but I will post pictures when they bloom. The show runs until Sunday. The tickets cost $20, and I paid $30 for parking, and $40 for the bulbs, so it was quite an expensive trip altogether. I bought the bulbs from Doornbosch Bros. They only sell wholesale to people who want to do fundraising for most of the year. The flower show is the only time that they sell directly to individuals. I really wish that they would sell to individuals more often. I really like their bulbs very much. I’ve been buying bulbs from them since 2015. It’s really hard for me to understand their business model. It seems to me that they could make much more money selling directly to individuals, but I guess not. I’m not really set up to be able to sell bulbs directly to people, so the whole wholesale thing doesn’t work for me at all. I have no use for buying bulbs wholesale at the moment. In any case, I think their bulbs are really great, so if you live anywhere near Chicago, you should definitely check out the show! It runs every year in March, so if you miss it this year, definitely check it out next year.
How to care for an Amaryllis
I really like Amaryllis because they are beautiful, and easy to grow, and they are one of the few houseplants that will produce beautiful blooms indoors! Also, they will bloom year after year if taking care of properly.
Choose the largest that you can find. They will produce more stocks and blooms than smaller bulbs. The larger the bulb, the more flowers it will produce. Bulbs should be firm and dry with no signs of mold, decay or injury. Very often you will see leaves, or buds growing from unplanted or planted bulbs. Select bulbs with bright green new growth and without visible damage. Some bulbs may have an offshoot growing from its base. This will eventually grow into a new bulb and can be removed and planted separately.
Amaryllis grow best in narrow containers. Containers may be made of plastic, metal, ceramic or terracotta. Bulbs should be firm and dry with no signs of mold, decay or injury. Select a container that has one or more holes in the bottom and drains easily. Good drainage will minimize the chance of bulb or root rot (rotting from excess moisture).
The diameter of the pot should be about 1 inch wider than the widest part of the bulb and twice as tall as the bulb to allow space for good root development.
Fill the pot about half full with sterile, new potting soil high in organic matter such as peat moss. Set the bulb in the pot so the roots rest on the potting soil. The bulb should sit up above the edge of the container. Add more soil, tapping it down around the bulb, until one-third to one-half of the bulb remains visible. Firm the potting medium around the bulb. Set the pot in a sink where it can drain freely and water until the potting soil is thoroughly moist. Allow to drain completely. Set the pot on a trade that will catch water, and find a sunny window for it.
Water the plant when the top 2 inches of soil feels dry, allowing the container to drain freely each time.
Do not let the plant to sit in water as wet soil can promote bulb and root rot and attract pests.
Fertilize amaryllis each time you water at half the recommended strength when new growth is visible (including on newly purchased bulbs). To promote blooming, use a houseplant fertilizer with a high phosphorus content. Fertilizer packaging always provides an analysis shown in three numbers such as 10-20-15. These numbers represent the percentage of each of three important macronutrients for plant growth: N (nitrogen) – P (phosphorous) – K (potassium). In this example, the fertilizer contains 10 percent nitrogen, 20 percent phosphorous, and 15 percent potassium. Move the plant out of direct sunlight when the flower buds have begun to open.
The key to keeping Amaryllis alive for years is keeping the plant actively growing after they have finished blooming. After the flowers have died, cut them off to prevent seed formation. It will rob the plant of energy it needs to bloom the next year. Do not remove the flower stock until it has turned yellow. A green stem will continue to promote photosynthesis, which creates energy that is stored in the bulb for future leaf growth and flowers. If the bulb does not produce a flowering stalk in the next year, it is probable that the plant has not stored enough nutrients during the post-blooming period. Keeping the plant healthy and growing will promote blooming. After your plant has finished blooming, place it in a window that gets the most sun possible. It will continue to grow long, slender leaves. These leaves will aid the process of photosynthesis. Continue to water and fertilize the plant regularly with an all-purpose houseplant plant fertilizer. Most websites recommend placing the Amaryllis outdoors during summer, but I have no place toput it, and I have found that they will rebloom without being placed outside.
This information has been taken from the University of Minnesota Extension website. There is
more information on that website about repotting, and pests.
For more information, click the link below.
How to care for a Ti plant (Cordyline fruticosa)
My first ti plant
Early Polynesian settlers first brought the ti plant to Hawaii. The plant is native to tropical Southeast Asia and Pacific wetlands. The leaves are used in many different ways including roof thatching, food wrapping, clothing like skirts and sandals, cattle feed, dishes, medicine, liquor, even sleds for kids!
The ti plant is planted around homes in Hawaii for good luck, and the leaves are sometimes worn to frighten away evil spirits and attract good ones. In Hawaiian mythology they are associated with the god Lono and the goddess Laka, the leaves are still used in sacred rites even to this day.
The ti plant can be placed 3 to 5 feet away from the window. Make sure that it’s not near a vent or a drafty area so that it does not dry out. When it comes to watering, they like it to be moist, but not flooded. You can also spray it every day with water. As far as soil goes, a well-draining potting mix is going to be your best bet. You can add some peat moss, and Perlite to improve drainage. When it comes to fertilizer, you don’t need to do too much. You can just add the tiniest little bit of deluded fertilizer. Finally, when it comes to propagating, you can take cuttings and plant the canes in pots of sand combined with your choice of peat moss or Perlite. Another method involves putting the canes in 1 inch of water with a bit of fertilizer and if you do that method you’re going to want to change the water every once in a while in order to avoid root rot. Plant the cane in a container with well-draining potting soil before the roots become long enough to break easily.
Pictured above is my ti plant. I currently have a light on it. I hope that will help during the dark winter months, and it also brings out the beautiful red color in the leaves. I bought my plant at Lowe’s garden shop on sale for five dollars. I have found that there’s always a small stand at Lowe’s that has plants on sale at truly incredible prices.
I got the above information from the website Epic Gardening. Kevin who writes that website is really an expert. He knows much more than I do. I just looked on the Internet, and found his site, so I think you should know where I’m getting this information. I feel bad because I spent hours trying to paraphrase this, and it ended up sounding almost exactly like the original. Oh well, at least I’m telling you where I got the information from. At least I am citing my source, so I hope that sufficient to keep things aboveboard. Please click the link below, and get the information from a real expert!
Mass Cane or Corn Plant
Mass Cane also known as the corn plant is very popular for its low maintenance beauty. It is an easy to grow houseplant that requires very little maintenance, and can even tolerate some neglect. It is an excellent choice for beginners. It has stalky stems and long, green leaves with light-yellow/light-green stripes running through them. It is one of several popular varieties of Dracaena, including Dracaena lisa, Dracaena marginata, and Dracaena compacta. The plant is originally from Africa.
The corn plant grows from 4 to 6 feet tall. The ideal temperature is between 60 and 75°F indirect bright is best; no direct sunlight. It can tolerate low light. Watering once a week should be enough. Let the soil be a little damp or slightly dry.
Chlorine in the tap water can make the leaf tips turn brown. If you use tap water, it is best to let the water sit out overnight to allow the chemicals in the water to evaporate before watering. I purchased three plants pictured above at Lowe’s garden shop. I have discovered that there is a on sale section at Lowe’s where you can purchase plants at very reasonable prices. I only paid a few dollars for these three plants. Here they are shown repotted.
Treating a Mealybug Infestation Using an Alcohol Solution
Make a 70% solution of alcohol and water. Soak a Q-tip in the rubbing alcohol, and then rub down the plant with the alcohol, making sure to treat the leaves, the stem, and all the crevices where the mealybugs may be hiding. The next thing to do, is to fill a spray bottle with the alcohol water solution, and spray the entire plant with the solution. If you have a plant that has a lot of crevices, like a cactus, you can dip a toothpick in the solution, and run the toothpick down all in the crevices to make sure that the solution gets everywhere. Mealybugs come from the soil, so if an infestation is really bad, it is a good i to replace all the potting soil with fresh soil. It’s also good to keep in mind that if the infestation is really bad, you might need to get rid of your plant altogether because sometimes you need to sacrifice one plant in order to save all the rest of your plants. It’s better to get rid of one really infested one than to risk losing all of your other plants.
Mealybugs Almost Killed my Brazilian Raintree
Mealybugs are soft bodied insects that look like little cotton balls with legs. Recently, they almost killed one of my bonsai trees. It is starting to recover now, but it will be a long road back to health. They have killed many of my houseplants. They feed by sucking the water out of the leaves. They multiply very quickly, so if you don’t catch them right away, they can kill a plant in a matter of days. I have read that healthy plants can tolerate low populations of mealybugs, and still survive with some damage, but with my plants, they always seem to kill the plant very quickly, so maybe that means my plants are not that healthy, but they always seem to be before the mealybugs strike. It’s very important to check the underside of every leave of a plant because that is where they like to hide.
I have tried spraying them with a solution of water and alcohol, and then removing the mealybugs from the plant. That hasn’t worked very well for me. I also tried various insecticides, but they didn’t seem to work that well either. Then I read that Neem oil can be effective against mealybugs, so recently I purchased a bottle of neem oil from Lowe’s, and tried it. So far, it seems to be working very well. The leaves on my bonsai tree are starting to come back now. I will keep you posted on how things progress.