Yay for plant addict friends. It would be sad to give away special plants to have them just wither away. And the recipient can feel sad about that too.

TheBentHouse2 said: You mention selling at the store, do you have your own little shop?

Hey!

No, I've managed a pet supply store for 20 years. We do a lot with planted terrariums and substrates and lighting and propagate/sell a lot of the plants we use in displays.

Then there's my office...lots of straight houseplants, and lights and shelves and trayed greenhouse domes.

sallyg said: Yay for plant addict friends. It would be sad to give away special plants to have them just wither away. And the recipient can feel sad about that too.

I'll try to post a picture tomorrow of the saddest adopted plant I've ever received.
This morning I got a crassula? that looks very familiar in a vine basket. Tiny basket, very neat.
Plant is on its last legs, not a jade, neglected for at least a couple of years.

I can't guarantee my own plants will stay alive so I don't feel bad if a gift plant doesn't make it. I try to make everybody more comfortable by saying if it doesn't work out and they want to try again, I have more. I give budding Kalanchoe blossfeldiana plants rooted in water as gifts and tell the recipients it should bloom for a while in a sunny window, then discard or plant in the yard or a pot if desired.

I've always given extra indoor and outdoor plants to family, friends and neighbors. I have done a few online trades with garden.org members over the years but I'm getting old (and lazy) and nowadays I find that the wrapping, packaging and driving to the post office is becoming a chore.

A few months ago, I yanked up tons of the variegated Variegated Basket Plant (Callisia fragrans 'Melnikoff'), which is a Category II non-native invasive plant here in Florida. It's a shame that it's invasive here because it's such a pretty plant! I potted some in a hanging basket and hung it out on the pool deck but there are still so many that need to be eradicated from the yard and hopefully I will get around to it before long. I still have at least one plant of the solid green variety that was stuck in a pot with a large Dracaena fragrans out at the back of our property a few years ago. I haven't been out there in awhile and might go take a walk around to see how it and the Dracaena tree are doing.

I just went out and took these pictures of the variegated Callisia 'Melnikoff' that is growing in a few areas of the yard. It makes such a nice ground cover but unfortunately it's not a good plant for Florida gardens and is best kept as a houseplant. I have a few plants indoors and might put some of this in a hanging basket and hang it in front of a window somewhere.

Oh how exciting! I bought several terrarium plants today! So now I know who to consult if I can't figure out how I want to do it.

Sorry I got off topic.

Humboldt said: Hey!

No, I've managed a pet supply store for 20 years. We do a lot with planted terrariums and substrates and lighting and propagate/sell a lot of the plants we use in displays.

Then there's my office...lots of straight houseplants, and lights and shelves and trayed greenhouse domes.

TheBentHouse2 said: Oh how exciting! I bought several terrarium plants today! So now I know who to consult if I can't figure out how I want to do it.

Sorry I got off topic.

Nice looking plants!
I think I see a couple of Syngonium, a fittonia, and angel wing begonia. Not sure about the rest.

Humboldt said: Nice looking plants!
I think I see a couple of Syngonium, a fittonia, and angel wing begonia. Not sure about the rest.

"Not all of them here was for the terrarium, but I wanted them anywho. I did put quite a few plants in. I made a new post under containers to show it off. I also tried to post a video, it wouldn't let me. 🥺

I visited the church next door to the library. Maybe a church would like a healthy plant here and the there as decor, or would know who among the members would really appreciate a plant.

I found a spot to store plants that wouldn't fit in my house this winter. It's not pretty, but the plants have it all to themselves. So far, everything is just plunked so I need to arrange a bit to be able to reach everything and so nothing is in too much shadow.

A great spot!
Now to return to good watering habits for all the things we've moved inside

I'm going to get a lot of exercise trucking water up the steps for those warehouse plants.

I kept mine alive by running the heat in the greenhouse for 3 nights. Now no more freezes for the next two weeks

Have I mentioned that I hate this zone 5b?

Extra? I become attached to everything that grows in my home. I do give a few rooted (and planted) clippings to friends that also adore plants. I scour yard sales and thrift shops for any container that can be used as a planter.

So far so good on the water. Here is one end of the "extra" space, ugly but effective, a NE window & a SW window.

The other end.


I'm still bringing a few things. There are way too many plants in my house.

How well insulated is your winter space? That is certainly handy.

IRK! It's not insulated or heated but it's attached to a building that is, and is up a flight of stairs, so I think it will retain enough heat on frosty nights to stay above freezing.

I'd be confident that will not freeze there.

Thanks for the optimism! I do remember a 9° night here, 12-13'ish years ago... Shiver!!