Jelinda your grandson was the hand of fate and fate decided that you should have now let me see, more then twenty baby succulents . Non of us knows what the future has in store for us, what we consider harm at the time of happening may portend a better future.
I can smell spring and it seems so can you. Have a wonderful sunny day with your plants while I scowl at the rain clouds.
Regards,
Arif.

https://www.google.com.pk/sear...
http://www.lyriczz.com/lyrics/...
A lyric from your times which may raise a few nostalgic moments.
Regards,
Arif.

My mother's favorite song and movie star... Thanks for the memory, Arif and what a fun & unique way to make your point!

Great!

Doris Day was the heart throb of a younger kiddy me in the days of black and white and so was Lucille Ball.
Regards,
Arif.

I like the link... I too grew up with Que Sera Sera on the radio.

I know we have some similarities but you have an advantage where humidity is concerned. You have it year round while we do not.

I think we all yearn for that which we don't have. Those of us with straight hair want curls and those with curls yearn for straight locks.

The gardener should himself create the climate required. II am considering Ferns and other humidity lovers.

May I ask how you plan to provide the needed humidity for these plants? I have a similar effort having recently developed a passion for bromeliads which need a more temperate climate and require a fair share of humidity. Still learning and haven't lost any yet.

Jelinda your grandson was the hand of fate and fate decided that you should have now let me see, more then twenty baby succulents

Perhaps the hand of fate decided that Jelinda needed to learn to propagate.

I believe everything works out for the best... we may not know what is best at the time but will realize it in the future if we only look. So when life hands you lemons, make lemonade!

Lived for twenty years in Koppens zone red. So my love affair with cactus and succulents is ongoing even though I now live in a mix of zones.I better add Bsh to my zones.
Regards,
Arif.

Kristi sorry, why don't you place this question on the Gardening Forum with a few clear photographs of you garden. Please mention the time of day the photographs were taken as shadows tell a lot of stories with reference to time. Lots of very good outdoors gardeners there and you can get a lot of ideas by taking a peek at the layout of their gardens. zuzu is the best in bringing order out of chaos .
These are specialised forums.
Regards,
Arif.

Oh no, Arif... I was only asking how you intended to provide the needed humidity for the " Ferns and other humidity lovers " that you are considering growing as per your comment above.

I am fine with growing my bromeliads thus far and am aware this is a specialized forum. You see, I began this thread. Thanks for contributing.

Bromeliads you need to fill their cups, have a bunch Billbergia nutans somewhere. I have to provide humidity, shade and a cool environment. I have been slowly trying to replicate the conditions required. It is a long term slow project. First I worked on the shade part, took me two years to get it right. Cool, for this I made the raised bed out of terracotta tiles so that evaporation helps in temperature control, moisture and humidity. Now I am working inside on the soil, need a lot of organic components, less clay, more sand and gravel because these plants are lime lovers and hate having their roots in wet clay. This part at the speed the decomposition is going on will take time, maybe a month or more. Then I am making coir screens to hang between the hot desert air and the plants, I will wet the screens then let the breeze blow through cooling and raising the humidity. Also thinking of visiting an aquarium shop and getting a small sealed terrarium fountain, a coil of air tubing, some valves crosses and tee's then setting up a drip system to the screens. Fountain will be used in mist position meant for turtles, etc but let the plants have some fun.
Not for you Kristi.
Regards,
Arif.

Thank you Arif ~ I always find it interesting to learn how others do their problem solving.

Do you not receive freezing temperatures also? What will you do then?

Freezing is not bad, it is the frost which does the most damage plus the structure of the house offers some protection. I just lay a layer of straw which has not let me down yet. Straw slowly decomposes over winter providing heat, nutrients and moisture. End of winter I work it in, the long fiber helps to loosen up the soil. We never go below -5c maybe wind chill can go down further, the screens provide shelter.
Regards,
Arif.

Thank you ~ that is good information. I am glad you have thought it out,
That is the kind of information I hoped to hear when I started this thread. It is appreciated.

Starting the thread is not important. There are a lot of threads that have fizzled out. Starting a thread which become a magnet, now that is achievement.
Regards,
Arif.

Ah, Arif. Low humidity - something I can certainly relate to, especially in spring and fall. I know Kristi knows what I'm talking about. Right now it is in the 20% range - <i>inside</> my home. I'm actually using olive oil on my skin. And I'm trying to grow orchids?

But at least over-watering is typically not an issue!!!

In winters using olive oil is not a bad idea. If not, I end up getting a very bad red itch due to scratching. Nothing can beat the natural body oils but they seem to be inactive in winter or maybe due to age they have become so . I don't remember anything like that when I was young.
Regards,
Arif.

Yeah, it just isn't exactly a fragrance I would usually use, lol!

. In summers, like it or not the fragrance is there. It is this soaping business every day in winters that does the damage plus the hot water used. A plain shower in lukewarm water normally should be enough unless a person has been rolling in the muck. Which we garden lovers revel in doing .
Regards,
Arif.

LOL! Ah well - my horses and dogs always enjoy a good muck roll, so shall I!

I'll abstain not in the mood for muck rolling!