BS: Indoor Greenthumbs - Houseplants

Subject: BS: Indoor Greenthumbs - Houseplants
From: katlaughing
Date: 07 Jan 09 - 10:08 PM

I don't recall us ever having a thread about our indoor plants...houseplants. I know they've been mentioned here or there. Anyway, I am just tickled because a plant I've been waiting on to bloom for a couple of years has finally done so! They say billbergia nutans aka Queen's Tears is one of the more common bromeliads and easy to grow, and it is to grow, but if you don't force them with an apple, I don't think they bloom that easily. Anyway HERE is what mine will look like in a few more days.

You can actually see mine just starting to bloom HERE.

Feel free to share what you may have, too!

Subject: RE: BS: Indoor Greenthumbs - Houseplants
From: GUEST,hg or haggard or whatever!
Date: 07 Jan 09 - 10:33 PM

Wow! Beautiful! ...force them with an apple???? whatsdat?

Subject: RE: BS: Indoor Greenthumbs - Houseplants
From: katlaughing
Date: 07 Jan 09 - 10:39 PM

Thanks!

They can be forced to bloom at any time by enclosing the plant (with its cup empty to prevent excessive humidity buildup) in a plastic bag with a ripe apple. The apple gives off ethylene gas, which stimulates flowering in Bromeliads. Leave the plant and apple in the plastic bag for 7-10 days; the plant will flower in 1-2 months.

Think that's what Eve told Adam? Or, maybe that's what she did to him?**bg**

Subject: RE: BS: Indoor Greenthumbs - Houseplants
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 07 Jan 09 - 11:53 PM

wow & wow!

Subject: RE: BS: Indoor Greenthumbs - Houseplants
From: Janie
Date: 08 Jan 09 - 12:12 AM

Lovely!

Thanks, Kat.

I'm one of those people who develop passions, and then when I am done with them, I am done - usually in about 10 year cycles. I have a lot of potted plants in my clinic office that do well, but often don't look that good cosmetically because I don't have time to groom them. I have a very large peace lily that I have had for going on 16 years that is actually quite healthy and thriving, but only a plant person would know that, because of the lack of grooming.

25 to 30 years ago, I had a house full of wonderful plants. I loved the feel of them in the place. One very cold winter, my furnace went out for several days when the temps were in the teens and below. I lost nearly everything, including a relatively large number of large succulents I had acquired or rooted over a 15 year period,   I brought back to lifethe few that I could, and replaced others. 2 years later, the same thing happened. After that, I largely lost interest in having lots of houseplants. I think I just didn't want the heartbreak of losing so many living things again. Now all I have indoors at home is a Christmas cactus.

Subject: RE: BS: Indoor Greenthumbs - Houseplants
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 08 Jan 09 - 03:10 AM

I have 4 windows filed with plants, 3 face east, but the north-facing window is the best. I've had one of my plants, a Cathedral Window begonia since at least 1978 cos I have a pic of it! My hoya is in an east-facing window which faces the next building & is a similar age - it was in my parents' garden till they moved in 1978. Maybe the begonia came from there, too, but I don't remember.

I also have a wonderful pink zygo cactus in my north-facing window - it's the same as northern hemisphere Christmas cactuses but flowers at a different time, tho I do also have a red Christmas cactus there, too, which also flowers wildly, too in December!

There are other flowers in the north-facing window, & generally green stuff in the other windows. All are happy & growing. Tho if I did more than water them once a week they might be even happier. But I did give the hoya a good shower recently cos it was soooo sticky - nasty white mealy bugs live in that window & I keep them down with soapy water.

pics here with pics of other (non-house) plants that I like.

sandra

Subject: RE: BS: Indoor Greenthumbs - Houseplants
From: katlaughing
Date: 09 Jan 09 - 12:28 PM

Those are so lovely, Sandra! Thanks for the link. I love your house so much!

Janie, you've had so much growing outside, I don't see how you'd have much time for indoor plants, too.:-)

I am actually down to just a few, myself. I used to have scads of them, but now I've only got some fairly rare ones and some old family "retainers." The hibiscus has been in the family about 40 years, at least. I've kind of grown up with it.:-)

My fav. place to buy them, esp. when I lived there and could just drive up to their place, is Logee's Greenhouse in CT. That's where I bought the Billbergia. Lucky it survived. The postperson left it in our mailbox out front in over 100 degree(F) heat, instead of bringing it to the door and almost cooked it and one other baby I'd ordered. The latter did not survive being cooked. The package was clearly marked as "Live Plants," too. Nice to see the one grow up and bloom so beautifully.:-)

Subject: RE: BS: Indoor Greenthumbs - Houseplants
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 09 Jan 09 - 07:09 PM

plants make a home - I know people without a single green thing inside (eek, how do they live without plants?) - ok if the garden is full of green stuff (not weeds, tho like a recent neglected garden I saw!)

sandra

by-the-by I read a fantasy where the gardener character died & woke in a huge neglected garden! Not my idea of paradise, I think I'd prefer a huge perfectly equipped craft room! With plants on the windowsill, of course!