In Its Place

Ever on the lookout for plants with colorful foliage, I spotted this pretty oyster plant at a local greenhouse. It seems to take little care and its leaves are attractive from either direction—pink and green-striped in front, and red-violet on the back, so I added it to my garden.

Also known as Moses in a Basket or Boatlily, Tradescantia, can be a good houseplant and can make a quick-growing groundcover but you can probably guess what’s coming—it’s invasive. I’ve read reports of its rhizomes and seeds taking over entire beds unbidden. Dogs love to lie in said beds because its smooth leaves feel cool—momentarily. Unfortunately, dogs are highly allergic to it. People can be too. So, as long as I keep mine in a pot by itself (which I was doing anyway by default) and don’t touch the lovely smooth leaves, everything will be colorfully fine. http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/650/

Breathing

Outdoor plants benefit from rain washing their leaves of dust and pollen; have you ever noticed how intensely green and clean the “world” looks after a rain? Indoor plants don’t have that benefit so gardeners have to fill in. Houseplants benefit from an occasional washing of their leaves with a warm, wet paper towel (or cloth) since they breathe through their leaves; they also benefit from the humidity. And, anything that’s cleaner is usually brighter as well—that means brighter color and that’s almost always good!

My smaller croton plant pictured here has spread out as it has dropped some leaves; new leaves are coming!

My breathing isn’t so good this week—probably a cold, but I don’t think that a wet paper towel will do it for me. I’m resting and praying for healing—quickly and completely.

Multiplication

My airplane plant a.k.a. spider plant has been very productive in the warm months; it was time to let some of its babies grow on their own. I gathered up my empty plastic pots, washed them in hot soapy water and filled them with potting soil. Then I snipped off plantlets that most needed the nourishment of soil—and that fit the pots. I’ve been saving shallow clear plastic containers for saucers; buying them would be about 69 cents apiece! These new little plants will make good Christmas presents.


Though I potted ten or eleven plantlets, the daughter plant (daughter of my original plant) has plenty more in various stages of growth—a couple dozen.

Golden Morning

I'm listening to the Weston Priory Brothers gently singing, and looking out at golden-lit pine tops while Cardinals and Blue Jays coast from one bare limb to another. Nameless smaller birds flit higher--in the pine tops, their smooth bellies reflecting the golden morning.

But then I see it; the Mexican Petunia curves up the balcony corner, branches (few as there are) reach through the rails into air, where last night’s incessant rain toppled it. So I run into the cold to right it. Brrr, a sweater isn’t enough; and to think that last night we were “sweltering.” I set the small pot with its giraffe resident up again. And again. Finally I’m hoping that the mono-filament line that gave the hyacinth bean vine height will now give stability to the Mexican Petunia.

The warmth of the morning sun on my indoor garden is more to my liking than the outdoor chill. Now that the pear leaves are gone, the bright light reveals dusty “Lucky Bamboo” and dracaena leaves. Warm water on a cloth or paper towel not only clears dust from the plants’ breathing apparatus but adds welcome humidity. Since dust always dulls color; their colors now shine brighter and that’s (almost) always good.

It’s a Jungle in Here!

Saturday evening prior to freezing temperatures, I made “The Great Plant Haul.”
In an hour or so of clearing spaces, cleaning saucers, and heaving plants, I brought in all the plants that would still be too cold-- even under the covers. Though the freeze was too cold too soon (as was the snow on the upper east coast) I decided it was time to bring them in for wintering-over. For the most part, once they’re in—they’re in for the duration since it takes so much time and effort to haul them back and forth.

This year, I’ve brought in more plants than usual, wanting to “protect my investment”; maybe I won’t have to buy new ones next spring. As it turns out, some of the new to me plants do well as houseplants. For example, one houseplant book says that pentas bloom in December and January; what a treat to have them bloom all spring and summer then indoors in winter too (maybe they actually will)!

The plants are definitely too crowded so I’ll have to continue to discover better configurations to spread out “the jungle.”

Rose of China

It’s another Two-Red-Hibiscus-Day! Since I enjoy it so much, my hibiscus bush is my most photographed plant ever. In Spain, I discovered that it’s called “Flower of Peace”. Now I’ve found that it’s sometimes known in other places as “Rose of China”. Intriguing.

I discovered the name in a beautiful houseplant book by Reader’s Digest: The Complete Guide to Houseplants—The Easy Way to Choose and Grow Happy, Healthy Houseplants. It has large beautiful pictures and clear instructions. Information in books on houseplants often readily applies to outdoor container gardens as well.

I’m also pleased to read there that hibiscus bushes can live (indoors!) up to twenty years!