Let’s learn plants

[Passiveninja]

Also I wanna eat a Venus fly trap seed to see if it gets one high

[SMdoubleXL]

[SMdoubleXL]

We got to manually cross pollinate orchids. 

The little white heart shaped thing In The Center is like a door that holds the pollen 

 

Open the door and expose the pollen 

 

 

How fucking perfect mother  nature is. Look that perfect pollen sac pair. Removed with the end of a toothpick 

Place inside another orchid in which you want to cross pollinate. 

 

The lil nibs left after placing sacs into other flower, at the end of a toothpick 

 

Pollen trap doors 

 

 

 

remember to label. LABEL LABEL LABEL. date/flowers you cross pollinated 

 

 

[Dirty_habiT]

[Dirty_habiT]

I know the pictures look crazy blue, but I assure you it doesn't look like that to the naked eye.  I'm using an "AI Prime" aquarium light on full spectrum blast to light these plants.  It's for reef tanks/growing coral, but since I upgraded to a larger light on one of my tanks, I moved this one over to the succulent terrarium.  My question is..... is there anything that I should do differently here to make these plants happier?  We've had a few die in this tank while others (the ones still alive) have done just fine and even grown.  I'm not sure what the difference is between the ones that don't make and the ones that are happy.

 

The spectrum of light should be plenty for them, and it should be plenty intense for them as well.  The dirt bed is really thick because I didn't want any of the plants to run out of room for their roots easily.

 

I cannot name what's in there except the aloe plant.  I put root hormone on the bottom of the part my cat broke off and it doesn't seem to be dying.  We don't water these plants very often but when I do I let the soil get rather moist by adding a lot of water.  I think of it as simulating a torrential downpour in the desert.

 

Any tips from the pros would be greatly appreciated.  The light looks a bit bluer in the pictures because the lights taper off at night time to simulate what the sun is doing and then go into a moonlight mode where they just put off dim blue light all night.  The AI Prime puts out white, blue, red, green, and UV LED light.  Also, sorry don't mean to thread jack.  I hope this is "on topic" for this thread and not getting in the way of anything you're doing here.

 

@SMdoubleXL

[Dirty_habiT]

Inspired by this thread, we just made a stand (we're going to stain it or paint it) to put the top of the "dryquarium" (i'll get to that word in a minute) high enough against the shelf so that our cat cannot get into it.  He was squeezing through the top and poking his butt with cactus plants I guess..... not sure what he was doing in there because it never had a turd or pee.

 

We called this a dryquarium because my neighbor who likes to drink too much and looks like albert einstein came over one day, drunk, and while he was standing next to it he asked, "what is this, some sort of dryquarium?"  He was 100% serious.  I about lost my shit laughing and I think he realized that wasn't a word either.  So, it stuck, we call our succulent terrarium a dryquarium now.  It's fitting.

 

Anyway, now the cat can't get in there and do anything silly.  We also put several leaf cuttings from some other succulents in the soil here with root hormone on them.  I hope they grow into their own independent plants now.

 

[SMdoubleXL]

Yes!! Please post up! @Dirty_habiT

Looks like Haworthias on the left. (Looking like aloe) 

and your big guy is a Echeveria. And then some cactus. 

Yes. Those cuttings will usually establish themselves.  Even when the leaves drop, they find a way. When you do a cut, if it’s an actual ‘snip’ let that cutting dry out a few days before putting in soil. The root hormone can be applied upon cutting. The purpose is-wound response. It senses it’s been damaged (cutting) and will send more hormones than necessary to build a protective callus over the cut. That callus will grow mad roots. Then it will establish itself in the soil. 

Sometimes going directly into soil after a fresh cut, (especially if it’s been watered anytime recently) -that bare stem will take in too much water and cause rot. 

 

i love  the dryquarium.   A super super super important role in a unit that you grow any plant In is sufficient draining. If there aren’t holes in the bottom, any water (even the small amounts) will cause root rot. Plants will take up what they need and the rest needs to run out. 

And  some slight air circulation. The tank protects it from kitty but protects it from air also. It’s its the same soil they have been in for a while-then they are accustomed to it. If it’s new soil, I would add some perlite and some small rock/gravel mixed into the soil. From what I can see, that echeveria looks happy. His color and shine are good. They don’t look leggy. Which is what they look like when they are reaching for more light.  So I would think that light is good. I would be more concerned with drainage first. Then air circulating. 

 

 

 

 

And tell tell them how beautiful they are 😉

[Dirty_habiT]

Lol, I forgot to read them stories too. 

 

I'm not quite sure how I can solve a drainage issue, but I can tell you that I can stick my finger all the way to the deepest layers of soil there and it's dry as a bone.  I think, since this is soil for succulents, that it breathes really well and doesn't really pack together like some of the more clay based soils found in nature...... but I'm talking out my ass because I really don't know what I'm doing, I just bought soil made for succulents.  In the bottom of the tank I cut and installed a piece of light diffuser (the kind that goes over neon lights inside schools) that is made of plastic squares to be the same size as the area of the tank.  I then covered this with largish rocks, and then put my soil on top of that.  There is a pretty decent "air" layer under all the soil so I would hope that is helping w/ the drainage of the soil and not letting the soil stay too moist after watering.

 

Is it ok to water these plants w/ a spray bottle?  I know some plants don't like to have water put on their leaves, but I don't know if that applies to succulents or what plants those are really that are like that.

 

How often should I be watering?

 

I realize I could look these things up on my internet machine probably, but I trust the word of some person I can talk to rather than some web site someone put up for clicks/likes.  Thank you for the tips so far, and I hope I can ask you more good questions and help make this thread more awesome than it already is.  I meant to say that earlier that this thread is already pretty cool with all the pictures that have been posted.  Thank you.

[SMdoubleXL]

Thank you. For those words.  It sounds like you have the soil and it’s bottom all worked out. I would have done the same. 

 

I water most my succulents with spray. And if it pools up on a leaf-I simply swipe the water off with a finger. I’ll water around the base if I can and especially because it is winter and they are inside I won’t water water them until probably another three/4 weeks. (And I havent watered them in a few weeks) . Only if I’m gonna be able to set them outside to balance the sun/water.  

 

Always water in in the morning. So it has time to do its work through the whole day. 

I set these leaves in soil, Oct 26 

ive only sprayed them. Maybe weekly. 

 

this is current. Some took pretty good  just trying to get em mature enough to really plant them by spring, in container still  

 

thank you 

[SMdoubleXL]

Also, when you search the web . If you didn’t know, because I sure didn’t-but I knew there was a way to find legit information on the web , I just wasn’t sure how to differentiate. Our instructors wouldnt accept anything from a .com 

most infomationcame from an extension. And was usually put out by a university. 

 

Google search “succulent care extension” 

 

and such comes up 

 

https://extension.umn.edu/houseplants/cacti-and-succulents

 

Also-if you have access to a Salix (willow tree), 

cut some branches, and put them in a jar/vase of water, cut part into the water. 

 

Salix produces natural growth hormones that trickle down into the water they sit In and you can water your plants with that. Mostly for plants that require water. I wouldn’t spray with it, I don’t think it’ll have any type of affect I would just reserve that water for root watering. 

Edited December 31, 2019 by SMdoubleXL

[Passiveninja]

Dawg those plants are dope

 

[SMdoubleXL]

I chose today for a water day for these guys. They haven’t been watered (like soil saturation water) since a little after Halloween.  We have a pretty full week is sun, so that’s why I chose today. Water early am so it can work all day (photosynthesize)  and I’ll put them out each morning this week for some good sun yobalance the irrigation. They are mostly cuttings except my jade , which I am trying to keep its form with twigs and yarn for support  

 

ps. I am a cheap, broke gardner and I try to use resources around me for stuff. I don’t remember the last time I bought a plant.   All through propagation 

 

Edited January 4, 2020 by SMdoubleXL

[SMdoubleXL]

For the first time at home, I noticed a pest on my plant. A measly bug on my Jade. 

So it’s a food time to check the undersides of each leaf. (It’s poor leaves are turned down because there was a period it wasn’t getting enough light and started reaching for whatever light it could grab)   Mealy bugs will form nests on the underside and they also produce honey dew (their bodily discharge) so a sign of them is gloss on the leaves. Where it would not normally be present. 

[SMdoubleXL]

In a greenhouse setting or a setting where you have more than normal plants, a beneficial insect can be applied to the plant and it will assist you in pest control. Like this cryptolaemus larvae. He looks similar to the mealy bug, even 

 

mealy bugs and their nests can be removed (with gloves) and the high pressure twist on your average water spray bottle.  

I recommend keeping this solution nearby, though:

50:50 water:90% alcohol plus a drop is dish detergent inside bottle. Label it. Spray your leaves directly OR to a towel/cloth/tissue and wipe your dusty ass leaves. That dust prevents them from fully photosynthesizing and the solution will help prevent any pests from establishing. They notice when a plant is an easy target. 

 

 

[SMdoubleXL]

These cuttings look rough and they have been though some shit but it’s the new growth that counts. Everyone’s color/shape/pattern is growing the way it should. 

[SMdoubleXL]

A portion of the class was dedicated to design. Floral arrangements, handrawn and digital (a very fucking old program), rock and water garden designs, and our campus garden dragons. I’m ok with the fact that floral design isn’t my thing. I picked up a few things that I would t think would be my thing, but floral arrangements in a vase was not one of them. 

 

We all followed the same direction -because like most of our work, it had a purpose. These went on as table toppers for a charity dinner in the neighborhood. 

[Dirty_habiT]

Cool!  Keep posting. This is a good thread. 
 

Maybe you could talk more about what's needed to setup a succulent garden or how to properly propagate succulents. Just a suggestion. 

[SMdoubleXL]

That’s a 10-4. Lemme gather up a few flicks 

[SMdoubleXL]

Succulents are pretty simple. Also a very easy plant to propagate. If you are familiar, you e seen a succulent plant drop a leaf and that leaf will usually starting growing roots, whether it landed in soil or bare floor.  You can usually find a leaf that plant  has dropped, but if it’s an in tact plant, choose a healthy lower leaf and in a slight pinching/twisting motion, the leaf should separate from parent without damage. If you are using a cutting,  which would most likely be the end of a branch, make a clean cut, just under a node. If a node isn’t obvious, clip right under where a  leaf grows from stem.  You can apply rooting hormone powder to a fresh cut, if you have it. The purpose is- the plant reacts to wound response (cutting or separation) by sending more growth hormones than usual to site. If there is no soil or water instantly the plant has to push itself to stay alive by repairing that wound. (You need that callus to form for root growth)

 

 

 

 

 

tldnr:

You can really take one whole plant, cut the top, pluck off some leaves, and take a chance that another stem can grow from the cut, you can have over a dozen new plants with patience. 

 

Set all cuttings and leaves aside for a few days. Here, I left them all in a bed of basic cactus soil  sought at a box store.   After about a week, start misting. You’ll see those pretty pink roots start emerging within a week or two.  It’s time to plant on its own when the parent (leaf or stem) has died off, (sending its last nutrients to new plant) and roots have formed  

[SMdoubleXL]

You can also water root some plants. All of mine have been trial and error. Some plants  take up water too fast and will turn to mush; most adapt pretty quick. I would usually trim openings in a piece of plastic-to allow the parent leaf to stay out of the water and allowing the fresh cut to barely be in the water. 

 

This guy below got leggy (too long between nodes) because he wasnt getting enough light. 

 

 

You can see parent leaf shriveled all up below 

 

these roots would take well in some soil (near future post) 

Edited January 9, 2020 by SMdoubleXL

[SMdoubleXL]

This was a fun one- a Kalanchoe. (Mother of millions/thousands, chandelier plant, devils backbone......) 

i noticed within days that roots formed on the leaf droppings when it hit water. So I knocked a few off from the edge of the leaf, into the water, and the roots formed within days.  Each one of those droppings is a potential plant  not safe for dogs/cats/and probably kids to consume tho  

[SMdoubleXL]

Some basics. 

For any type of plant. 

 

I prefer terra cotta pots. But any thing you can hold stuff on is also considered a pot. As long as it has drainage holes in them. If not-assemble it have the same effect/purpose. :to prevent any standing water. 

 

Clean your pots.  We did full on sanitation in the greenhouse, but at home I just make sure they have all the previous debris removed (a dry dish brush works)  then give it a good once over with a lil dish soap and hot water. 

 

Soak your terra cotta pots (in water for 2-24 hours)  or any other permeable material. This prevents it from sucking all the moisture out of your soil. 

 

Soils can be purchased at a regular box store. Most houseplants do well with regular ole pitting soil.  You can add as needed:sand, grit, perlite, fertilizers.....

 

Here is some easy reads on succulent care. 

 

 

[SMdoubleXL]

Pothos and Philodendrons are super simple houseplants.  Easy to propagate, also. 

 

There were too crowded at the base of the plant so I pulled a few stems out from the soil, snipped it into life’s-snipping right below a node, and put them in some water.  In five weeks I have good root growth and will probably put them in soil in another month 

[Ko SprueOne]

Very productive. The Mrs. recently bought a Pachira Aquatica for New Year.

 

[Ko SprueOne]

On 12/25/2019 at 1:10 PM, SMdoubleXL said:

And it knows when it’s Mimi time, it shuts down for the night. 

Why do some plants do that?

[SMdoubleXL]

14 hours ago, Ko SprueOne said:

Very productive. The Mrs. recently bought a Pachira Aquatica for New Year.

 

Looks like a great size too.   It’s beautiful. 

[Ko SprueOne]

Speaking of Pennsylvania and plants, You Bet Your Garden was a weekly radio show hosted by Mike McGrath. Great show focusing on organic solutions. Some archived programs: https://whyy.org/programs/you-bet-your-garden/

 

This show air on a local FM broadcast station at 0500.

Edited January 18, 2020 by Ko SprueOne
This show air on a local FM broadcast station at 0500.

[Ko SprueOne]

Just now, SMdoubleXL said:

Looks like a great size too.   It’s beautiful. 

Thank you. Her first try at seriously taking care of a plant.

[SMdoubleXL]

35 minutes ago, Ko SprueOne said:

Why do some plants do that?

Plants have pores, (stomata) that open and close during the process of photosynthesis. When there is no more sun to take in-thise pores close up.  Some plants use different  methods of closing (protecting them) and some plants just fold their leaves up, roll them, close up to protect them. 

[SMdoubleXL]

3 minutes ago, Ko SprueOne said:

Thank you. Her first try at seriously taking care of a plant.

It’s a great one for first intended attempt. Keep that mixture of water:alcohol:dish soap and wipe those leaves (I’m neurotic and would do it weekly or biweekly). But that’s me.  The little dust that gathers on a leaf will interfere with photosynthesis. You want it to perform at 100%