New Avenues for Growth

It’s 108 degrees outside and will likely get hotter. And to think that we had night-time temperatures in the 50’s earlier in the week! That’s the great thing about living in the Southern Piedmont region; June almost always holds a “cold snap” (except in last year’s brutal heat). My “rooster plant” is maturing nicely and is sprouting branches along its “trunk”. The red hibiscus not only survived the cut (pruning) but as hoped, is branching out in new directions. More branches equal more flowers!

Spots

The baby prayer plant has spots! Animals such as deer, tend to lose their spots as they mature but in some cases, plants gain them as they grow.

I searched the internet for pictures of the “rooster plant” and mostly cockscomb celosia came up. However, when I searched the croton family, I found my plant among them. One site said that in low light the leaves are dark green with yellow spots (like mine) but when they have stronger light, red and yellow predominate. Hmm…the rooster plant looks nice in that window but it seems that more light is needed.


I see a similar trend in my largest croton; since the winter sunlight in the southwest windows has been brief the new leaves are only green with a few yellow spots, contrasting with it’s gorgeous red and yellow spotted and veined fellows. Though the overall aesthetics won’t be as pleasing, it’s time to move it closer to the sunlight, swapping it with, possibly, the Hawaiian Ti plant that aesthetically, is perfectly suited to its window perch though it can get by with less light.

Spots can be a good thing. Plants show their maturity and health with natural markings and Jacob of the Bible gained his fortune in livestock by having the foresight to choose the spotted, dark-colored and speckled sheep and goats as his payment for years of hard work for his father-in-law. And God multiplied them(Genesis 30:26-43).

Seat Upgrade

The rooster plant* is doing well in a southwesterly window; it’s even getting a few more yellow spots on its leaves and one has a long, fine point. However, like other tropical plants they need a lot of humidity. I mist the leaves with water daily but the small terra cotta pot I planted it in last summer dries out too quickly.


Today it gets to upgrade to a larger less-porous pot that will better hold in moisture, and give it room to grow.

The morning sun was most welcome after yesterday’s gray rain but it was only here for a short “visit.”


*So far, I've been unable to find the official name of the plant though I think it’s in the croton family. It’s an offspring of one of my friend G’s plants; her daughter called it a rooster plant and so it is. If you know its “given” name I’d like to hear from you.

True Purpose

It feels so good outdoors today, I didn’t want to come back in. I made the most of the occasion by sweeping up the balcony a bit—any excuse to be out there will do since I’m getting cabin fever with all the Christmas preparations; this is always an exacting task since the “floorboards” have space between and I don’t want to send any potting soil below. The pineapple sage and leftover basil stalks are still fragrant as I brush against them.

Inspired by Gayla Trail’s Grow Great Grub Organic Food from Small Spaces, in which she insists that “grub” (food) can be grown in the smallest of spaces—even a windowsill, I eyed my set of flower-decorated garden pots. I’ve lovingly carried these pots around since I was given them as a parting gift by my co-workers at my first “real” job; I was moving on to greater things. The pots however, have become a place to collect odd things that need recycling but I don’t know where to put them back into the cycle (light bulbs?).


I read a lot about “re-purposing” these days and I enjoy giving things additional purposes (often to keep them out of the landfill) but there’s nothing like getting back to an object’s (or a person’s!) original and true purpose. So I read the list of food plants that will grow in a “slightly shady” window, matching it with my supply of lettuce (two kinds), parsley and chives seeds. I emptied the pots, washed them thoroughly and added a thin layer of gravel for drainage, added soil then seeds, watered them and set them on the window sill. I’ll have to remember to water and drain them in the sink since the hole plugs are long gone and the holder doesn’t allow for saucers (I could put the whole thing in a saucer but it wouldn’t look as good). The “rooster plant” that reigns in this window has to move over; I’ll have to move them all out of the window at night to make way for the blinds. The seeds take about two weeks to sprout; I’ll keep you posted.

The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. Colossians 1:15,16 NIV