Wisconsin Winter Flashback

I really love winter, but this winter in my current location is very blah. So here's a flashback of some favorite winter scenes from around my Wisconsin home....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

....*sigh*. Ah well, back to my snow-lacking and un-scenic current winter. I need some garden therapy!

Funky Orchid Planter-Round 2

Since my orchid "funnel experiment" bombed awhile back, the poor orchid test subject has been waiting for a new home.

So I'm soaking some orchid media in distilled water...

...and I selected this enamelware thingy as a planter. I like the holes for drainage, and it will display nicely (any excuse to use my collectibles and justify my habit :)

There! This orchid piece looked more viable than the other one, although when it regrows leaves I'll have to adjust it somewhat.

This portion looked a tad far gone to me, so into the worm bin it goes.

 

Cute!

I'll hang it an an angle so it can get the brighter morning light, and be protected from the more intense afternoon light...I hope it grows!

I got to looking at my other orchids, and this mounted Maxillaria Tenuifolia looks like it could use more media around the roots.

Soaked the moss in distilled water for 30 minutes or so...

...and used some fishing line to add it to the moss already present.

There! Now I feel better...

...lets hope the orchid does too.

Winter brings dry air, so I add a humidifier...

...it helps me breathe easier and provides my orchids with the moist air they love. I hope they will love me back with some blooms!

Fall Houseplant Recap

Note: This post was from late October, I kinda forgot about it but better late than never :)

 

 

 I'm getting some blooms for fall in my indoor "garden"! The small Christmas cacti I'd purchased off Ebay just a few months ago are blooming nicely.

 

 The passionflower vine is growing well, but needs to be cut back.

 

 There! This will help the vine become more sturdy, and keep it on the trellis rather than all over the room.

 

Signs of life from a formely failing Christmas cactus (I'm not one to give up on my dying plants until they're brown and crispy.)

My big angel trumpet (Brugmansia) is rebounding after being cut back....

...but this inch plant needs attention now. Too ratty with lots of dead stuff.

There! Looks sparse, but it will come back much fuller and healthier (hopefully.)

Top-dressed my "Snake Plant", Sansevieria trifasciata with some cactus mix, and watered it well. My mom calls this plant "mother in-law's tongue", there are many different varieties including some with really rounded/tubular leaves. I'd like to collect more eventually.

 

I got this cool old glass dentist's chair tray off Ebay, and I know just what to do with it....

...looks like it will hold some water....

...just enough for my carnivorous plant collection. The color will reflect back some light also.

Little glass koi looks right at home!

This pitcher plant is growing well, but getting kind of gangly. I can let it go like this, or cut it back for a bushier form.

Although it makes me nervous, I decided to cut it back. Hopefully it responds well.

What a mob!

Perhaps I've gotten rather carried away collecting houseplants....

...nah!

New Cactus Re-potting

Here are two lovely cacti that my dear friend from Texas sent me awhile back. I've been collecting vintage planters, and now I'm ready to repot my new prickly friends.

 

 

Here are the pots in question: two nice planters from the McCoy pottery line, approximately 1960's vintage.

I use tongs to handle the cacti, preferably metal ones with an open loop grabbing area so I don't smash too large an area on the cacti, but all I had on hand were these. (I have since gone to the dollar store for the metal tongs.) My soil mix includes aquarium gravel, sand, bone meal, decomposed granite, kelp meal, greensand, and bunny "beads" (poop :)

This cute barrel cactus is 'Balloon Cactus', Notocactus magnificus....

...there! Magnificus indeed!

This one is 'Torch Cactus', Trichocereus grandiflorus hybrids...

...voila'! Looks happier already!

I gave them some water, and that will be all they get until March or so when their growing season begins again.

So far this winter I've been able to keep my plant room fairly cool, especially at night. I'm hoping this will stimulate blooms from some of my cacti, maybe even these new ones. Fingers crossed!