Mike, regarding the phyllanthus seedlings - I like that you place a bunch of them into a larger pot. They seemed to grow faster for me that way too and look in a short few months like an older, well established plant/pot. They like the company!
Btw the mother plant had last Fall over a dozen seed pods!

Ursula - Right now they are only two leaf seedlings so twelve to a four inch pot is like Kindergarden. Once they get three or more sets of leaves I'll probably go three to a pot for long term growing just because I'M RUNNING OUT OF SPACE!

I'm with Corboro, I have a hard time throwing out a broken piece. I will try to salvage everything. I have another bud on my ackermanii, but so far that is the only 1 I have seen.
Mike My big strictum, ( the 1 I shared with you) got left out for the winter. ( oops) it also didn't move when hubby painted the eaves of the house. It is struggling. I have cut away all of the dead/frozen parts, but some of the leaves with paint splotches still look ok. Do you think I should cut them back too?
Working in Floral is not good for my greenhouse or pot garden space. LOL. We got in so many plants yesterday and when I opened the box of easter cactus, it was like Christmas.! haha. Several will make it home with me I am sure.
I am out of bloom booster, so I will either have to use regular plant food, or order more.
Has anyone used the brug formula ( epsom salt, beer, ammonia and molasses, etc) on your epies? If so, what are your results.

Linda - sorry about the Strictum, hopefully you have more than one. If not let me know. Regarding the paint splotches, depends on the paint color. If it looks OK and does not clash with the green of the branches I would leave them alone. The branch should still keep growing. Probably will depend on how much of the branch is covered.
You are so lucky working in Floral. I always envy those folks in the Home Depot garden dept.
I have not had time to fertilize this year. Too much work to do in the yard with that long stretch of dry weather.

I am actually kind of surprised any of the strictum survived. We've had a very mild winter. Yes you are right, I am so blessed to work in the floral field. There is nothing I would rather do. I have splurged and bought 2 more epies to add to the collection. I bought dragonheart and Michelle Davis. It will be a while before they bloom, but It's ok. Tell me again how you get blooms in just a year's time?

Hey Linda, were they plants or cuttings you bought. I have some buds coming on rooted cuttings I took last December. I find that if you take the cutting close enough prior to blooming time the cuttings will bloom. Not necessarily a good thing for future branch growth but at least for a couple of days we get a table size plant to enjoy.
The Curly Locks are putting out buds after 18 months from seed which is amazing.
Lots of buds starting to appear now. April is going to be a good month.
The pics are the latest Guiding Star Bloom, Curly Locks buds, cutting bench (one of two benches with cuttings) and the 108 Phyllanthus seedlings.

Mike dragon heart was cutting, Michelle Davis was a 4 " plant, but it looks as if it could bloom.

My German empress has a bloom, but it isn't coming out pink so far. It is white with some pink on the outer petals, but it isn't open completely yet either. I am wondering if it is mis labled.
I will upload a pic in the am. I really don't care. It is a bloom! I am excited.

First Strictum of the year, just found it this morning

How very nice!

Thanks Ursula, I just went and checked my 108 Phyllanthus seedlings and so far everyone is standing up and looking good. I also noticed some stragglers in the seed tray that was waiting to be discarded so will wait awhile. Do you happen to know the seed to blooming time?

I don't remember seeing any blooms the first Summer, but definitely during the second Summer outside.

Awesome Bloom Mike, I've always loved strictum.

I have a bud on my red NoID epi that should open soon. And a couple of smaller ones.

Looking good Carl. These plants sure teach patience. Looking forward to seeing the open blooms. I'm seeing signs of buds now that I know won't open until mid April.

Linda, those Strictums are little bit inconvenient when you have to paddle out in PJs with a camera to go see them at night at their best!

In the past, when I had blooming Strictums, I would carefully bring them indoors as soon as I saw signs of budding, so that I did not have to go out at night to see and photo the blooms. I would be so excited and wake DH up several times during the night to see the progress. It's a good thing that he's developed patience with me in my excitement for plants.

Not me Deebie, I drag my hubby outside at all hours to see them bloom. I drive my kid nuts. LOL

This pink NOID in a 24" basket is the first to bloom this year, but April should be good, as I have lots of buds on others


I don't recommend letting them get this large unless they can live there permanently. We're talking HEAVY.

But they look so great displayed like that. I want to do that with at least a couple of mine. My pink NOID is a good candidate.

Linda. You've got a great family.
Carol, I love your NOID Pink and with Carl. I would love to have a plant(s) that large. I think you get more blooms that way. Is that right?

The answer would be yes, you get more blooms depending on the environment and the genetics of the plant. Last year that one bloomed poorly because it was beck in deeper shade. I moved it out where it gets more sun and that made a difference.