Well crap.

Looks like my sago palm is on its' way out.

I've never had any luck keeping these plants alive. This is probably the 4th one I've tried to grow over the years. Just can't seem to figure out what the trick is with these guys. This one was outside all summer, the leaves stayed green and healthy-looking, but it never grew any new leaves. Just noticed it starting to brown up and die the other day.

Any advice?

Dioscorea elephantipes update

Just posting a more recent picture of my oldest Dioscorea elephantipes. Lots of heart-shaped leaves, and he keeps growing at a slow and steady pace, even in the face of my currently spastic watering schedule. Man I love this plant! Still have three others tangled together in a pot and it doesn't seem to bother them in the least.


Obligatory caudex shot - it's small but there!

The little flower machine

I don't know much about Faucaria paucidens except that they grow like weeds. I wish all mesembs were so amiable. This Faucaria has been more or less constantly in flower since late September - you can see the older flower heads to the left of the current one. I wonder when he will get tired and take a rest for the winter?

Peeking

L. lesliei C1

Lo and behold, things are happening even in the depths of winter! Some pictures of my lithops changing their leaves. Many more in my collection are doing the same thing, just picked some of the more interesting ones. Looks like a few will be becoming two-headed this year, which saddens me since my favorites are always large, single-headed plants. But I guess it means they are happy.

L. hookeri

L. halli

L. gracilidelineata (C261)

.

Winter blues and bugs

Wow, I really didn't think it had been so long since I last posted. It seems like my urge to post dried up when I brought most of my plants in for the season and they are mostly crowded around windows or tucked away under the grow lights. 

Plus I've switched computers (again) and I'm always slow about getting my camera software setup on a new comp and all the settings arranged for maximum posting ease.

Working on it though, in between family illnesses, thesis, Christmas shopping, making Christmas gifts etc. etc.

Should have something to post soon - did my first detailed plant inspection in awhile and some of my Huernias seem to have contracted a bad case of the mealies. They are crowded in with other succulents in one of the few west-facing windows in the house, so I forsee a vast bug-murder spree in my future. I also suspect red spider mites are kicking about too. Argh!

Sigh I hate dealing with pests, particularly in wintertime when it's hard to spread things out.

Luckily my beloved lithops and other mesembs are kept in a completely different part of the house from the rest of my plants so they seem fine for now. 

Mystery lithops

I got this guy back in the spring, from a nursery, sadly unlabeled. I know that nursery lithops aren't supposed to be that great and often die unexpectedly. Much to my surprise this one was happy enough to flower! And a pretty white flower at that.

Still stumped about the species though I'm hoping the flower colour will narrow things down. Maybe a L. karasmontana?

Anyone have a suggestion?

A little bit of luck

Some background:

I have all of my mesembs under one 2 bulb, 24" fluorescent light fixture. You can fit a lot of 'thops in a small space, but things are really tight under there right now. I was barely able to fit everything back inside under the lights once the weather started cooling down. If some plants hadn't died over the summer I would have been in a real pickle.

Needless to say I've been coveting this:

image from: http://www.leevalley.com/en/garden/page.aspx?cat=2,44716&p=10549

The three-tiered one of course.

Actually I've been wanting one since high school.

The price has always stood in the way though: at $525 that is far outside what I can ever justify spending to light my plants.

So my plan was to make a do-it-yourself one when I move out, a la Gayla

And then I got lucky: the lovely lady mentioned in this post also had a three-tiered Floralight she was looking to sell.

For $100.

I might have squealed.

The bottom light fixture wasn't working, but my wonderful, talented dad had it fixed in 15 minutes.

And now it sits in pieces, in the garage with the rest of my life. Waiting for the day when THV and I move into our own house. I get giddy thinking about all the seedlings I can start in this thing. And all the lithops that will fit on it!

One day.....