[Friday - Ask the Experts] The Best, Smartest, Funniest and Only Plant Blog Panel of Experts on the Web

Hello beetlebeats, and happy Friday!

Welcome back to the Good To Grow site, and thanks for being here.

Today I’ll be gathering my panel of Experts – all five of them are here today – and asking them a plant-related question. After we marvel at their answers, and they’re awarded imaginary prizes, we’ll move on to last week’s plant puzzler to see who has won pretend prizes there. Finally, I’ll unveil a new puzzler for everyone.

Let’s meet the panel. Hi Experts!

“Hiiiiiiiiiiiiiii Liza!”

Don’t you look smashing with your sunflower heads? From left to right, that’s Tina, Thack, EZ, Dottie and Lewis. If you’d like to know more about them, please click here.

Let’s get right to this week’s question, which is:

Q. January is a good month to buy houseplants because they’re on sale at most nurseries. Do you have plans to buy a houseplant for yourself or for a gift?

Expert Tina Quintana, welcome back. You were missed. Why don’t you get this panel started?

A. I will be looking for a Aloe vera plant…. They say it helps with stretch marks. Do you know if that is true or not???? Anyways maybe someone will offer me one……HINT HINT!!!!

Uh, I don’t know about stretch marks. I think a vitamin E salve works for them. But I can get you an Aloe plant any time you want. You can experiment and get back to us with the results? I have plenty of Aloes to go around.

Tina, that’s a weird win for you, but a win nevertheless, as Aloes are great houseplants. You can collect your prizes at the end of the panel.

Expert Tim Thackaberry, here’s the question to you:

Q. Do you have plans to buy a houseplant for yourself or for a gift?

A. I have to admit that I’m a little gunshy about buying houseplants these days. I have tried and failed to grow so many of them in my life that I’m afraid the sheer volume of my failures may be tantamount to plant genocide at this point. Like I may be hauled in front of the World Plant War Crimes Tribunal in the Hague for crimes against plant-kind if I attempt to buy another houseplant.

Well, if that happened, we would find you the best plant lawyers. And I know a plant psychologist who will testify that they were plant suicides, not murder. If by some chance you still get convicted, I’m pretty sure they sentence you to a garden. I’ll bake a knife made from Bougainvillea thorns into a cake and you can cut your way out. It’ll be ok, dear, don’t fret.

Whether you go to garden prison or not, you’re still a winner on this plant blog, Thack. Thanks for being here.

Expert EZ Ed Johnson, here’s the question to you:

Q. Do you have plans to buy a houseplant for yourself or for a gift?

A. Now that I know they’re on sale, I will certainly buy one. Any recommendations?

Do you know me? Of course I have recommendations! You’ve said before you live in a relatively dark apartment. I’d recommend a Sansevieria (Snake plant) or a Epipremnum (Pothos) because they can both tolerate low light and neglect. I’m not saying you would neglect them, it’s that they are good starter plants.

I also wrote a blog called “Top Five Most Rewarding Houseplants for Novices” that you may want to check out.

If you don’t like those recommendations, I have a feeling there will be some suggestions arriving soon. I’m psychic like that.

EZ, that’s another win for you because even if you aren’t interested in getting a houseplant, you sounded like you were and that’s enough for a correct answer. Good job!

Expert Dottie Correll is up next. Sweet lady, the floor is yours:

Q. Do you have plans to buy a houseplant for yourself or for a gift?

A. Oh my!  Well when I was younger and in my wild and exuberant days and time for plant care was last on my list of exciting activities, I I wanted plants that would beautify my space but would more or less take care of themselves and didn’t need “baby sitting”.  If you fall into this category or have a “black thumb”, you will find the following plants to be right up your alley.:

10 HARD TO KILL PLANTS:

Philodendron: philodendron fidum (they survive even in a college dorm)

Christmas Cactus:  Epiphyllum

Good old Jade Plant:  Crossula ovata ( take a lot of abuse; “there’s a drought again”?)

African Violets: Saintpaulia ( my very favorite — love those colors)

Spider Plant: Chlorophytum comosum  (clears the air)

Peace Lily: Spathiphullum ( My second favorite — always green & lovely no matter what you do to it)

Croton: Codiaeum

English Ivy: Hedera helix ( eh — its green)

ZZ plant: zamioculcas zamii folia  ( zzz lovely!)

Chinese evergreen:Aglaonema

Note:  If you can’t keep  any of these alive, you really do have the dreaded “black, black thumb” and better head for the nearest arts & crafts store for those artificial “just blow my dust off” beauties.!

For myself however, This spring I am aiming for something exotic and tasty as well as having ornamental beauty.  I am going for the Meyer lemon tree!  It is a dwarf variety that actually bears lovely tasty lemons — inside!!!!!, while first producing waxy white exotic fragrant blossoms.   Can’t wait for harvest time!  Just picture me in the breath taking beauty of the Sedona Red Rocks sipping that lavish “lemon drop martini”!  Heaven can wait! 

Dottie! You rascal! Rubbing it in that you’re going to have fresh lemons for your martinis in ANOTHER STATE BESIDES NEW MEXICO. Fine, enjoy your stupid lemons. We didn’t want to come to happy hour anyway.

Haha, I’m teasing, I’m teasing. Dottie knows that. Can I let you all in on something? Dottie typed that entire answer with one hand (because she hurt her other one). Impressive, isn’t it, that she would do that for us? I love it! Thanks Dottie, for all your efforts. We appreciate it whenever you are here, and understand when you have to miss.

That’s obviously another correct answer for you this week. Congratulations, and again, thanks for being here. EZ, I hope her list moves you one step closer to choosing a houseplant.

Up next, the venerable Expert Lewis Casey. Lewis, what say you, fine sir?

Q. Do you have plans to buy a houseplant for yourself or for a gift?

A. I don’t need no stinking house plant, No wait that was last week.

In a place far, far away, in the middle of a great apartment complex lived a little boy who always wanted to have a house plant of his own.

For beyond his window was only gray buildings, broken sidewalks, dry dirt lots, old cars, sad eyed people and angry young men.

“Mama can I have a house plant”. To which Mama replied, “Oh no my son, a house plant cost a lot of money, is a great responsibility and you’re not old enough to have a plant of your own.

“But Mama” Alejandro said “Billie down the hall  has a house plant and it is thisss tall” holding his hand above his head..

“Well Billie is 34 years old, lives with his mother and the everyone say the Police are going to be at Billie’s door some morning and take Billie and his house plant away.”

“I want you to stay away from Billie”.

“Ok Mama I will, but why can’t I have a little house plant, I promise to water and feed it every day and take it out when it needs to go, keep it clean and love it to pieces.”  

“I’m sorry son you cannot have a house plant, where would you keep it, our apartment is so small and we only have this little window, but would you like an puppy or a BB gun”, asks Mama?  

“A puppy really, says Alejandro,  No thanks, I don’t want to carry puppy poop around in my pockets like I see people do” and a BB gun. What if I shot my eye out?”

Poor Alejandro living in a world of concrete, asphalt, plastic, glass and hopeless people, can we not help this poor child and bring a little green to his life. Stay tuned for more “Alejandro’s Pot of Dirt”.

I did buy a pretty Cyclamen red and white for the house, and a some Johnny Jump Ups (Viola cornuta*) for a container in front, they were not on sale. No house plants were insulted in the making of this blog.

Hold up. In this instantaneous society, this everything-at-your-fingertips modern world, you’re going to make us wait for the next installment of “Alejandro’s Pot of Dirt?” *Stamps foot.* Lewis! I want to hear about it NOW!

Sheesh! Where’s life’s fast forward button when you need it?

On the upside, I’m guessing I’m not the only one who will tune back in for the eventual rest of the story, so that’s a win again this week. Thanks for being a tease, Lewis!

Every single one of you is a winner this week – congratulations to you all! For playing, I’d like to award each of you a sunny disposition to use for the weekend, a pinch for luck, an imaginary planter full of spring flowers, 14 bragging rights, a coupon good for fresh lemonade (redeemable when Dottie’s lemons are ripe) and a woohoo!

Thank you again for being here – you guys are the best.

The Experts will return in exactly one week.

Up next, last week’s puzzler:

???Real or Fake???

Last week, I asked if this plant was real or fake:

Let’s see how you answered:

Nancy Popp Mumpton of Arizona wrote, “I think it is fake. At first I thought real but then I notices the curly stems on the left side. I never saw pothos with curly stems.”

Terrence from Dynamic Gardening wrote, “This golden pothos is the opposite of real. It cant be involved in the photosynthesis process just dust collecting.”

Tom from Theatrum Botanicum wrote, “Fake-alicious.”

Steph from Indianapolis wrote, “Never seen curlys on any of my pothos. FAKE. (Why fake a pothos? Even I can’t screw one of those up!)”

Claude from Random Rants and Prickly Plants wrote, “Even if the fake grape tendrils weren’t giving it away, the scrawny little stems would. FAKE”

That’s five votes fake, zero votes real. Let’s take a closer look to see the answer:

It’s not a great quality photo, it was taken from my phone, but I think you can see that those are plastic leaves. Skinny stems, weird curly things, a strange mix of little and big leaves that don’t match. Fake it is.

That means you are all winners this week. Excellent! Congratulations for each of you. Nancy, you answered first so you are the overall grand prize champion of the week! You may multiply all your prizes by four hummingbird sightings. Nicely played.

As a starter prize for all of you, I’d like to invite you to happy hour at Dottie’s house in Arizona. You don’t mind, do you Dottie? Haha, now who’s the rascal?

In addition to happy hour, you’ve each earned a pretend replica of a plant nursery, three sugar highs, a yes, 17 extra credit points, hand jive, and a handful of roly poly nouns. Great job, everyone, and thanks for playing!

And now, the new puzzler with its fancy graphics:

???Real or Fake???

Is this cactus (photo submitted by mr_subjunctive of Plants Are the Strangest People) real or fake:

Think you know the answer, smartyplants? Leave your best guess in the comments section. You have until midnight next Thursday, February 2nd, MST (that’s 2a.m. EST) to cast your vote. I’ll reveal the answer and the winner(s) after next week’s panel of Experts. Remember, the prizes may be imaginary but the link to your site and the glory of winning is oh-so-real.

And if you want to submit photos like mr_s did, that would be great. Shoot me an email with your best shot.

I’ll be back manana, hope to see you here.

[Thursday - Plants 101] Considerations Before Buying a Houseplant

Hi! Happy Thursday, ya’ll!

When I first started writing this blog a couple of years ago, I thought I’d be writing for plant novices and black thumbs. Turns out, most of my readers are super intelligent about plants. Which is cool.

They’ve helped me realize I don’t want to talk to the black thumbs anyway – they’re indifferent to plants.

Anyone can learn how to care for plants – it’s not brain surgery, afterall – but continued black thumbs don’t want to learn.

And they don’t have to – I’m not trying to shove houseplants down anyone’s throat. I stopped talking to the black thumbs a long time ago.

Novices, however, I still like to talk to from time to time, because they do want to learn and are open.

Like the young lady I met last week at one of my client’s offices, she asked me about houseplants. She said she was 23, renting her first apartment. She said she wanted to use plants as decorations in the apartment, but she didn’t know anything about them.

We talked for a little while and I gave her some advice, along with my business card (with this blog’s address).

I wrote this post with her in mind. I think there are certain things all novices should know before bringing plants indoors, basic stuff. You should have a fair picture of what you’re getting into, right?

I’m going to use my plants for examples.

Before You Buy a Houseplant

First, ask yourself why you want a houseplant. If your answer is “for decoration,” that’s great – I think plants make homes look cozy and warm.

That said, it’s important to realize that bringing a potted plant into your home means you are expanding your family, not just decorating a space. Plants are living, breathing creatures, and if you in invite one into your home, it’s 100% dependent on you for its well-being. If you ignore a plant, like you would a knick-knack, it’ll die.

Not ready to expand your family? Then don’t adopt a houseplant.

I want you to look at bringing a plant into the house as the same as beginning a new relationship. Because that’s what it is. Relationships are fun when they are new, but they also carry responsibility. They require participation on both sides. You can’t enter one not willing to lift a finger, that’s not fair.

I don’t want to scare you away from houseplants, but I don’t want to bullshit you either.

The truth about houseplants is, if you want the rewards…

…you have to be willing to do the work.

If you want flowers in your home…

…you have to accept spent blooms on your floor.

If your personality is one where you can’t handle messes, I’m not sure I would recommend houseplants.

There are certain houseplants, like Aloes or Jades for example, that will be less messy than others, like a Ficus tree.

But even then, you can find ways to make them messy, like when I water Rosa and the soil spills over the edge of the pot onto the windowsill:

There will always be messes with houseplants. If you’re a neat freak like me, you’ll be cleaning up after them all the time.

Knowing there will be messes means knowing you’re going to have to be the one to clean them up.

That’s a good thing, because from the messes, you can learn to communicate with your houseplants.

For example, here’s my Bougainvillea telling me she’s thirsty:

Here’s Miss Mimosa also telling me she’s thirsty:

Once you realize that your houseplants can communicate with you, well, then, the sky’s the limit!

Trust me, if you’re smart enough to handle kids and/or pets, you’ll be fine with your houseplants. They’re not nearrrrrrrrly as work-intensive.

I would suggest that you start by going to a greenhouse and looking at the plants available. See what colors you like. Look for flowers or pretty foliage. Look at prices, ask questions of employees. If you want, you can write down the names of plants you like, then research them later to see if they can handle the lighting and temperatures available in your home.

Here in Albuquerque, Osuna Nursery has a big greenhouse. High Country Gardens sells houseplants, so does Jericho Nursery, at both locations, and Rehm’s Nursery on Lomas east of San Mateo.

Six Tips for Healthy Houseplants

Here are six basic things I do to have my own healthy houseplants. These tips apply whether you have one houseplant or ten.

1. I give all the plants weekly checkups. Sunday is the plant day in my casa. Each Sunday before football I take my watering can and visit each plant. I set the can down and look at the plant. Give it a once-over before sticking my finger in the soil. If it’s dry, I water. If it’s wet, I don’t. Then I move on to the next plant and repeat the process.

Plants in smaller containers require more check-ins, so I keep the smallest pots on my kitchen windowsill since I’m always at the sink there.

2. During the once-over, looking at the plant, I’m looking for anything different from the week before. A new leaf emerging. A flower bud forming. A mealy bug or a spider mite. This is where the relationship with houseplants exists. When it’s a new leaf, you can cheer it on. (Or like me, photograph it.) When it’s a pest, you have to step in and defend the plant.

3. I have all the plants in well-draining soil with saucers or trays underneath to catch water run-off. I make sure to glance around the day after watering to make sure none of the plants are standing in water. I only use high-quality potting soil, like the ones sold at the above nurseries, because the soil available at Lowe’s and Home Depot is always infected with fungus gnats. Ew.

4. I fertilize regularly. There are lots of products out there, I’m forever trying new ones. If the thought of fertilizing intimidates you (or even if it doesn’t), start with Miracle Gro, it works fine. They sell blue granules you add to your watering can. Make sure you follow the directions, your plants will thank you for it. With any fertilizer, follow the directions on the label.

5. I turn my plants often, so they grow sturdy and aren’t leaning toward the sun. Also, I’m constantly moving the plants around depending on where the sun is. This time of year, all the sunshine is in the foyer, so that’s where most of my plants are.

A general rule of thumb is that the darker the leaves, the less sunlight a plant needs. That means a plant with dark green leaves will be fine in a corner or on a bookshelf. But even plants with dark leaves like to have some light, so it’s nice to rotate plants around, to share whatever limited light there is in a home.

6. I prune often. When plants are little, I pinch back new growth to encourage more new growth. Because I fertilize regularly and give the plants maximum sun, most of the houseplants grow fast, which means more pruning, which leads to creating new plants. Which explains why one houseplant can quickly become many.

————-

Like I said, these are basic tips for houseplants. I do a lot more for them, like treating them if they do get pests, playing music for them, repotting them.

What I have found is most people who start with the basics, soon learn more and more about how to care for the plants. They add layers of complexity over time. They engage with the plants.

What starts as a learning opportunity often leads to a love affair with Nature. Hopefully one that’s passed along to kids.

As a novice, you don’t have to think about any of that yet. For now, just be open.

You’re always welcome to ask me if you have questions or need advice. I’m sure my regular readers can offer advice that extends on what I’ve started here.

I’ll be back manana with an all-new Ask the Experts panel, as well as a new plant puzzler. Hope to see you here.

[Wednesday - The Plant Lady Chronicles] Mystery at the Mortgage Office

In a better world…

…I wouldn’t have to worry about plant thieves.

In this world however.

Sigh.

Remember this Epipremnum ‘Pothos’ plant that I showed you back in early November? Here’s half of it anyway:

Shortly after Halloween, I checked on the plants in a client’s office building. In one of the vacant offices, where there were two plants, I saw that it was crammed with Halloween decorations. Rather than fight the clutter, I decided the plants would be ok until the following week (they live in a dark office, in 10″ pots) and left without watering them.

When I checked the following week, the decorations were still there. This time I had to get to the plants because one of them was plainly thirsty. I had my little Sony coolpix camera with me so I snapped a bunch of photos, then moved the cardboard coffin and some other decorations out of the way until I carved my way to the plants.

Later, I posted about it (here).

The next week, the office had been emptied of the Halloween stuff, and the thirsty plant bounced back quickly. It was good.

Briefly after Christmas, decorations blocked easy access to the plants. I was going to grab my camera and blog about it, but I decided to give them a little extra time. The next week, the office was clean, and the plants were just fine.

Then came the MLK holiday. Before the holiday, both plants were there. After the holiday (the office was closed for a day), the one on the cabinet was gone.

Sometimes employees will move plants around, so I searched every office in that building. It wasn’t there. It’s still not there.

Was it stolen? I have no idea.

I do know it didn’t get up and walk out on its own.

I’ve encountered plant thieves before. There are these types:

The person who believes they are rescuing it. (From what, my expert care?)

The person who believes no one will notice. (As if a potted plant could fend for itself.)

The person who believes it’s not stealing because it’s a plant. (Is it your plant? No? Then it’s stealing.)

The person who steals just because it’s there, not because they know what a plant is or what to do with it once it’s home. (You suck!)

Then there are the worst kind of plant thieves: People who love plants.

Why?

Because plant lovers are the ones who know better¹! They know full well that plants need attention to stay healthy. They recognize a great-looking plant.

They know they are stealing from someone who loves plants as much as they do, and they do it anyway. That’s shitty.

Do I know what happened to the Epipremnum in that office? No. I’ll probably never know if it was stolen, thrown in the trash, whatever. If it now lives in the home of a plant lover, I hope that thief is taking good care of it. If it dies, not only has that person stolen from a small business but is also a plant murderer.

I’ll be back manana, hope to see you here.

————————–

¹ Naming plant lovers as the worst offenders is a little like the pot calling the kettle black, as I stole a cactus once (and admitted it on this blog, here). I had never done it before, or since, but still. It wasn’t mine and I took it. I told myself I was rescuing it from certain death, but really it was just stealing. In today’s story, I’m referring to other plant lovers not myself, haha!

[Tuesday - Flowers and Flowering Plants] What’s That Smell?

Hyacinths in da house!!!

There are 21 days until Valentine’s Day. If you start bulbs now, they should be ready for your sweetheart by then. You could score big points for creativity and thoughtfulness.

I’m just sayin’.

[Monday - Liza's Plants] Sweetie’s Time To Shine

My third Euphorbia milii ‘Crown of Thorns’ plant (I call him Sweetie) is blooming like crazy right now:

Sweetie is the offspring of Elise, who is the offspring of Ellie. All three Euphorbias are blooming right now. That’s because all three get fertilizer regularly, and – this is key – they also get lots of bright light. They each live in the foyer, which faces southwest. They get abundant sunshine this time of year and in turn, I get abundant blooms.

I’m quite fond of these plants, because I think those blossoms/bracts are adorable, plus they are easy houseplants. They don’t complain, they don’t ask for much. They do have harsh thorns and a wicked sap, but those are not problems for me unless I’m repotting or pruning them. (Then I simply use tongs and gloves – problems solved.)

When it comes time to water them, instead of sticking my finger in the soil to see if they need water (and therefore risking my finger to their thorns), I just pick up the container. If it’s light, I water. If it’s heavy, I don’t. Easy peasy.

But mostly I like them because they’re adorable.

[Saturday] Going To the Birds

Recently we took a trip to see the birds down at the Bosque del Apache wildlife refuge, roughly two hours south of Albuquerque. When Sandhill Cranes, Snow Geese and Canada Geese fly south for the winter, this is one of the places they go.

The pictures are not great, but hopefully they’ll give you the flavor of the place.

Man, I love those silly cranes!

[Friday - Ask the Experts] The Best, Smartest, Funniest and Only Plant Blog Panel of Experts on the Web

Hello dreamsicles, and happy Friday! Welcome back to the Good To Grow site, and thanks for being here.

Yay for Fridays, right? Woohoo!

Let’s get right to the fun by saying hi to our Experts. Hi Experts!

“Hiiiiiiiiiiiiiii Liza!”

You guys are so cute! From left to right, that’s Tina, Thack, EZ, Dottie and Lewis. If you’d like to know more about them, please click here.

Today’s question is a typical January query:

Q. How are your resolutions going?

Expert Tina is normally up first, but she’s unavailable this week. So let’s admire her adorableness:

And move on to Expert Tim Thackaberry. Thack, here’s the question to you:

Q. How are your resolutions going?

A. For the first time in many years, my resolutions are going perfectly. I couldn’t be happier with how my expectations and reality are meshing completely so far in 2012!

Now, I’m not 100% certain, but I think this early success is directly attributable to the fact that I didn’t actually make any resolutions for the year.

Haha, that’s one way to score a W in the win column! Well played, ya goof!

Expert EZ Ed Johnson, you’re up next:

Q. How are your resolutions going?

A. Splendid. My resolution was to make no resolutions. I was tempted a couple of times, but I fought off the urge.

I think that’s smart. By making no resolutions, you can’t fail at them. That makes for an automatic W! I’m a big fan of your strategy, EZ.

The ever-charming Expert Dottie is normally up next, but she is unavailable to join us today. Let’s marvel at her sweetness:

And move on to Expert Lewis Casey. Lewis, what say you, fine sir?

Q. How are your resolutions going?

A.

How are you doing on your nEw yEArs resSoLUtiIoN.

 

I don”t need no stinking nEW yEaRs ResoLuTioN, tank you.

 Ican do jusst fien with outt some inane expectation of.

Oh I going to fly this year. I’ve been a fat caterpillar for just too long.

So I’m just going to climb up on the roof and jump off

Hoping my wings will sprout before I hit the ground.

 

I awake each morning thankful of the sun,

Joyful that I have another day to prepare for my Friday’s rite of passage

The fantastic world of Good to Grow, Ask the Experts.

 

I do ride the bus to work many days and walk home.

I got no wings yet, us fat caterpillars need the exercise.

I am excited about Spring, I yearn for the dirt,

Be gone 2012 naysayer the world is a wondrous place.  

Wondrous, indeed, Lewis. I’m sure our readers are wondrous about you as a caterpillar sprouting wings. Pretty sure they’d want me to put that in the win column this week.

Expert fellas, you’re all winners in my book, so congrats, and thanks for playing. We appreciate you being here. For playing this week, I’d like each of you to have one new resolution (of your choosing), an affectionate pinch on the cheek, two follow-throughs, a dunk, three silver whispers and a merry new year. You’re all wonderful, thanks again for playing.

That does it for this week’s panel of Experts. The Experts will return in exactly one week.

Up next, last week’s puzzler:

???Real or Fake???

Last week, I asked if this Orchid was real or fake:

Let’s see how you answered:

Terrence from Dynamic Gardening wrote, “The orchid looks fake a.k.a. artificial. The leaves especially looks to perfect.”

Ivynettle from Letters and Leaves wrote, “Definitely fake!

Also, yay, a pretend black cat! I no longer have my (also black) work-cat, so I suffer from serious cat-withdrawal.”

Mom from New Mexico wrote, “I’m going to say real because orchids do bloom bottom to top like that.”

Tom from Theatrum Botanicum wrote, “Fake! Those leaves seem awfully plasticy”

Nancy Popp Mumpton from Arizona wrote, “Fake! I do have a real phal like that from last year that has developed a new bloom stem. My first re-bloom ever. I’m pretty proud here in dry ole’ Phoenix!”

Martha from Plowing Through Life wrote, “I’m going with fake this time. The leaves seem very small for this type of orchid.”

David the Desert Dweller wrote, “Real!”

mr_subjunctive from Plants Are the Strangest People wrote, “The flowers are awfully realistic, but the leaves say fake.”

Claude from Random Rants and Prickly Plants wrote, “fake. the leaves just don’t look right. and keep your imaginary black cat… I have two real black cats and I don’t need any imaginary ones…”

That’s seven votes fake, two votes real. Who’s correct? Let’s take a closer look at the Orchid:

You might miss the plastic tag hanging off one of the flowers, but you cannot escape how plastic the leaves are. That is one fake Orchid. The flowers don’t look too terrible, but the overall look of the fake plant is weak. That’s the problem with fake plants – up close (and often from a distance), they’re just plain ugly.

Your eyes are sharp, and even if you answered incorrectly, your logic was sound. Nicely played, all of you. Terrence, you were first with the correct answer, so you are this week’s overall grand champion of the plant blog world. Good job! You may multiply all prizes by one trapeze.

I’m grateful to all of you who played, win or lose, so this week, everyone has earned three winning smiles, a planterrific day, 16 bonus points, a pretend greenhouse, one resolute week and four cheers. Claude, even though I think you should’ve considered that your cats may have wanted an imaginary friend of their own, I’m going to give Ivynettle your imaginary black cat prize from last week. Ivynettle, you’re welcome.

Also, I’d like each of you, including our Experts, to add the following epithet to your name for the next week: the Plantabulous Grooviest. For example, David, if you go to meet with a new landscaping client, you should introduce yourself as David the Plantabulous Grooviest. I’m sure it’ll help your business and not scare away potential clients at all.

Thank you to each of you for playing, you’re the Plantabulous Grooviest!

Up next, the new puzzler:

???Real or Fake???

Is this plant real or fake? (Image taken with my phone camera.)

Think you know the answer, smartyplants? Leave your best guess in the comments section. You have until midnight next Thursday, January 26th, MST (that’s 2a.m. EST) to cast your vote. I’ll reveal the answer and the winner(s) after next week’s panel of Experts. Remember, the prizes may be imaginary but the link to your site and the glory of winning is oh-so-real.

I’ll be back manana, hope to see you here.

[Thursday - Plants 101] The Magnificent Rise of ‘Ryllis the Great

Hi ya’ll! Happy Thursday (the best day)!

It’s been a few days since I’ve posted, thank you for your patience. I’ve been silly busy, and there are no signs things will be slowing down any time soon. Which is good, that’s the way I like it.

I’ll try to be a little more diligent about posting here, though. Because I heart you.

A few months ago, I was surprised with a package from my awesome cousin Bill. He lives in Philadelphia. The package contained a Hippeastrum, or Amaryllis ‘Apple Blossom.’ Cool!

I soaked the bulb in water for a couple hours, then planted it in the container that came with it, using the soil and decorative glass that came with the bulb as well. Here it is freshly planted on November 13th, 2011:

I put the bulb on a south-facing windowsill, and left it alone. About two weeks later, Mom dropped off hers for me to care for while she was out of state. Here they are at the beginning of December:

I’ve taken about a thousand photos of both of them, but I will spare you the day-by-days. Instead, you should scroll really, really fast through the following photos so you can have the illusion of watching my Amaryllis grow:

See? Doesn’t that make you want to run out to your local nursery and pick up one of the bulbs abandoned after the holidays? So you can live vicariously through your own flower?

I love mine. It’s super pretty with five blooms on one stalk. Thanks Bill!

I’ll be back manana with an all-new Ask the Experts panel and a new plant puzzler for you. Hope to see you here!

[Saturday] January 2012 Garden Bloggers’ Bloom Day

Aaaahhh, I love me some pretty flowers!

Candy, my Lime tree:

Elise, a Euphorbia milii (Crown of Thorns) plant is bustin’ out blooms:

So is Sue, a Chlorophytum comosum (Spider Plant):

Chrissy, a Schlumbergera (Christmas cactus), is on her rebloom:

There’s the lone pansy outside:

It’s looked like that for weeks now.

Also inside, a Hippeastrum, or Amaryllis, a gift from my awesome cousin:

And a bouquet of tulips:

Yay for flowers indoors in winter!

Thanks to Carol at May Dreams Gardens for suggesting we post photos of what’s blooming around the 15thish of each month.

So, what’s blooming in your house?

[Friday - Ask the Experts] The Best, Smartest, Funniest and Only Plant Blog Panel of Experts on the Web

Hello tootsweets, and happy Friday! Welcome back to the Good To Grow site, and thanks for being here.

Each Friday, I gather my panel of experts for some silly fun, and roll out a plant puzzler for you. I’ll also reveal the winner(s) of last week’s puzzler after the panel.

Let’s say hi to the Experts, shall we? Hi Experts!

“Hiiiiiiiiiiiiiii Liza!”

You guys are adorable! From left to right, that’s Tina, Thack, EZ, Dottie and Lewis. If you’d like to know more about them, please click here.

In honor of Friday the 13th, here’s this week’s question:

Q. Today is Friday the 13th. Do you have any spooky tales you’d like to share?

Expert Tina is normally up first, but she’s unavailable for a couple of weeks. Let’s admire her cuteness:

And move on to Expert Tim Thackaberry. Thack, here’s the question to you:

Q. Do you have any spooky tales you’d like to share?

A. I don’t believe in ghosts in the sense of lost souls of the departed inhabiting a shadowy, semi-astral plane, and haunting the living here on Earth. That said, my daughter told me a story the other day that made me freak out a little.

My daughter is 8, born in April, 2003; my father passed away in February, 2003, so the two of them never crossed paths here in the earthly realm. Last week I show her a picture of my dad from when he was about my age, and she says, “I’ve met him before.” I, of course, say, “No, sweetheart, you haven’t, he died before you were born.” She looks at me very intently and says, “He did a puppet show for me one night when I was sick. I was feeling really bad and he (pointing to the photo my father) did a puppet show in my room and made me feel better. He’s funny.”

The way she said it just freaked me out. She was completely serious, almost matter-of-fact about it. I don’t know, maybe it’s nothing, she’d seen a picture of him and forgot about it, then had a fever-dream with him in it. Nothing more than a manifestation of a subconscious desire on her part to know her grandfather. But the way she relayed the tale definitely spooked me.

Oh yeah, that story gave me chills! Super spooky, Thack! But also sweet! If I were to encounter a ghost, I’d like the ghost to do a puppet show, too!

That’s definitely a correct answer again this week. Nicely played! I’m going to hold off on prizes until the end of the panel.

Expert EZ Ed Johnson, here’s the question to you:

Q. Do you have any spooky tales you’d like to share?

A. I met a woman once who told me of how her great grandfather would visit her small room as a child. He would announce his presence by what appeared to be smoke coming from the window sill. He had died in a fire many, many years before.

Creepy! Although, I suppose it was nice of him to announce his presence instead of just showing up and haunting her. Ghosts are weird!

That’s another win for you this week, EZ. Congrats, and thanks for playing!

Up next is the ever-charming Expert Dottie Correll. Dottie, here ya go:

Q. Do you have any spooky tales you’d like to share?

A. “PARASKEVIDEKATRIAPHOBICS”

I am always curious about the origin of Legends.  It appears that Friday the 13th has many and varied versions of origin based on a morbid and irrational fear —even by normally rational people.  It is the most widespread superstition.  Psychologists have named it paraskevidekatriaphobics.

The emanation of this unholy terror is substantiated by statistics that prove;  more automobile accidents occur on that date, people refuse to go to work, weddings or other important activities such as surgical procedures are never scheduled, and on and on. People just want to “Hole up” and do nothing and go nowhere!  Psychotherapists have projected that more than 21 million persons in America are afflicted with this superstition.

Legend has it:  If 13 people sit down to dinner together, one will die within the year.**  Many cities do not have a 13th street.  Many buildings don’t have a 13th floor  — tenants do not want to lease on the 13th floor.  If you have 13 letters in your name, you will have the devil’s luck as Jack the Ripper, Charles Manson, Jeffrey Dahmer and Theodore Bundy.  There are 13 witches in a coven and on and on.

Conversely, The Chinese regarded the number as lucky.  The Egyptians thought life was a quest for spiritual ascension which unfolded in in stages: twelve in this life and the 13th; eternal after life.  This superstition seems to exist primarily with Americans.

The legend I find most interesting emanates from ancient man.  Primitive man had only his 10 fingers and two feet to represent units, so he could count no higher than 12.  What lay beyond that —-13  —- was an impenetrable mystery to our prehistoric forebears.  However, this does leave one wondering:  did primitive man not have toes????

**The bible tells us there were 13 present at the Last Supper.  One of the disciples betrayed Jesus, setting the stage for the Crucifixion.  Oh by the way, did I mention the Crucifixion took place on a Friday?

What are your plans for the day?  Are you a “Holer Upper” or are you like me and plan to address superstition in the face and take a risk and plan wild and wonderful escapades????

Personally, I’m an escapader not a holer upper. Maybe I should reconsider, though, because of what you said about accidents. There must be some truth to it as there was a huge wreck on the highway earlier today. Spooky!

Also, my name has 13 letters! But I promise not to murder anyone.

Dottie, we love your research and enthusiasm, so of course that’s another correct answer this week. Well done!

Expert Lewis Casey, what say you, fine sir?

Q. Do you have any spooky tales you’d like to share?

A.

Scary Friday the 13th, so what is so scary about this Friday the 13th is that it is in a election year and OH MY GOD what are we going to do if __________
wins the elections.
Reelect Obama, Go Democrats
Vote this bum out, Go Republicans
Or throw the whole damn bunch out
If I had a sewage leak and my house was full of crap
would I make the house bigger or pump the s*!# out
Same thing has happened in Washington DC, Congress is
full of s*!#heads and we should clean house this election
and get some new fools and morons in there.

My oldest brother died July 12th 1997 of a heart attack. He had chest pains from early in the morning but they did not call for a ambulance. About 1:00 in the afternoon they tried to drive across town to the hospital in Santa Fe. He died in the parking lot of a 7 to 11 convenience store on Airport road waiting for the ambulance. I received a call that afternoon telling me of his death. I asked “Does Mother know”?
This is the tale I was told.

My dear Mother in her mid eighties would always take a afternoon nap like a lot of old folks do. Her health was good and her mind was clear, she loved to laugh and tell storys of her life. There were five kids and her, my father had died when we all little and she raised us in a house full of love, life and joy. But she was not above giving us a good swift kick if we deserved it. Oldest child seem always to be the favorite and Jimmy had that spot. He had graduated High school and had joined the Navy, she said many prayers for him while he was away seeing the world. He returned safely and she thanked God and said some more prayer. 

That afternoon my stepfather her husband Antonio heard her crying in the bedroom and went to see what was wrong. “My Jimmy, my Jimmy no lord not my Jimmy” was all she would say between the tears. They lived in a small village in Northern New Mexico about 100 mile away from most of the family and no one had called because we wanted to be there in person when she learned of Jimmy’s death.

When family arrive there a couple of hours later Mother was sitting on her couch with her rosary, crying softly, praying and repeating “My Jimmy, my poor Jimmy.” She knew that he had died and told us this tale.

As I was laying there on the bed sleeping, I awoke because someone was in the room but I was not afaid. I looked around and there was Jimmy standing at the foot of my bed. He was bathed in this beautiful white light and he was smiling, he did not speak but I felt that he was at peace and joyful to see me. My Jimmy I cried, his smile, his eyes said I’m ok Mother. the light faded and he was gone. At that moment I knew that he had died, I was no less sad but I knew he was ok.

Oh my! Lewis, what a story! It kinda creeped me out but it’s so sweet as well. I like the idea of a son saying goodbye to his Mama, it’s comforting!

That’s another win for you this week, Lewis. An excellent tale indeed!

Thanks to all of our Experts – you guys are awesome! For playing this week, I’d like each of you to have an epithet for the weekend. Each time you introduce yourself to someone, I’d like you to add “the Spooky” to your name. For example, Dottie, if you meet someone in Arizona, you should introduce yourself as Dottie the Spooky. Just for the weekend.

In addition to your epithet, I’d like to award each of you 13 extra credit points, a Friday, an imaginary scare, a scary imagination, two thumbs up and one hurrah. Congratulations, and thank you for being here.

That does it for our panel of Experts. The Experts will return in exactly one week.

Up next, the answer to last week’s plant puzzler.

???Real or Fake???

Last week, I asked if this Dracaena was real or fake:

Let’s see how you answered:

Tom from Theatrum Botanicum wrote, “Real!”

Terrence from Dynamic Gardening wrote, “This plant looks very real in my opinion, it has a tropical look to it also.”

Nancy Popp Mumpton of Arizona wrote, “Although it looks almost too real, I have to believe it is!”

Martha from Plowing Through Life wrote, “I’m voting real. That’s one of my favourite plants.”

Ivynettle of Letters and Leaves wrote, “Water stains and tiny dead leaf tips, so – real!”

Claude from Random Rants and Prickly Plants wrote, “real. The coloring is too random for fake.”

That’s six votes real, zero votes fake. What’s the correct answer? Let’s see a wider view:

You guys have eagle eyes! It’s definitely a real plant. Nice observations about the water spots and coloration. Real plants have flaws, and we’re ok with that. I’d rather have a flawed plant than a fake plastic one. Fake plants are ugly!

So everyone is a winner. Tom, since you answered first, you can multiply the prizes by 13 honorable mentions. Congratulations!

I think all of you should add the epithet “the Spooky” to your name for the weekend. In addition, you have each earned one superstition, a pretend black cat, 13 bragging rights, a scary song and a not scary song, plus a grip of Friday nonsense. Thanks so much for playing – I really appreciate it!

Up next, the new puzzler.

???Real or Fake???

Is this Orchid real or fake?

(Photo taken with my phone.)

Think you know the answer, smartyplants? Leave your best guess in the comments section. You have until midnight next Thursday, January 19th, MST (that’s 2a.m. EST) to cast your vote. I’ll reveal the answer and the winner(s) after next week’s panel of Experts. Remember, the prizes may be imaginary but the link to your site and the glory of winning is oh-so-real.

I’ll be back manana, hope to see you here.