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The thread "Let's see what else we are growing in 2017" in Orchids forum

As I was walking around the house, this Buddha Belly Plant (Jatropha podagrica) was just begging to have its photo taken.


Jim

Jim, this is one of my favorites! Male and female blooms in the same cluster and once in a while one sees seeds ripening and eventually landing in neighboring pots. Years ago I was wondering how and why this strange "cucumber seedling" germinated in one of my Orchid pots.

I used your nice post to start up a new thread for 2018.

Definitely an eye catcher!

that Jatropha Jim. Mine are all in the ground and I am afraid the cold might have gotten to them. They have survived cold before but it was a day here or there, not a week. We'll see.

This Christmas Cactus didn't make it in time for Christmas so it will now be known as the New Years Cactus.

What a show!!

Wow! For sure! Mine started for Thanksgiving, and still have a few blooms, but never did well this year. of course they are on the north side of the house where sun is almost non existent. Yours is beautiful!

Thanks, as soon as the weather moderates I stick it outside under an azalea or some other shrub and forget about it until mid December, by that time it has set buds. I don't go out of my way to give it any supplemental water but I did top dress it with compost and some Dynamite in the spring.

Late or not, that is a beautiful plant, Alice.

Jim

Thank you, it is in a 9" pot so it is showy for sure.

I opened the garage to check on my rain water containers after the rain we had yesterday and look what greeted me. And yes, the containers were full to the brim, so I should have enough water for the next month.
The large Jade in the house finished blooming in December.

Those Jades look so healthy, do you have windows or lights in there to keep them looking so good?

The garage door has a few small windows, that's it. My plants essentually go to sleep in there. I am always amazed how well the Jades do at this low temperature in the forties F and somewhat dim light.

Hey, whatever works.

Apparently they don't care where they bloom as long as it is the season. Ours are blooming outdoors now too.

When I lived in Maryland I had big Jades like yours Ursula, but they do not do well down here in our humidity. They live and grow but they never attain that stately size; they always seem to look adolescent.

Lovely flowers on the jades, for sure. I wonder if they need the dry, cold dormant period to bloom? I grew them both in Vancouver, and in Salt Lake City, and none ever bloomed. They were always kept in the house, though.

My yard is blossoming with frost cloth tents in which my blooming and fruiting tomatoes are very happy. We got the new hoop structure covered nicely with new Garden Quilt cloth and when I went out last night before bed (40ish - BBrrr!) it was about 10deg. warmer in the tent than outside. Just what I would expect, with the dry cold, and some wind going on. We will 'tweak' the design over the next few days, and possibly add some of the old Christmas lights for the two really cold nights - 30's expected Wednesday and Thursday.

I have some brave little wild salvia still blooming, usually pale bubble-gum pink, but today they are a nice intense coral. My tiny miniature roses have buds on them, too:

Snap peas and pansies are very happy with the cold weather, frankly. No need to cover those unless it really freezes.

And, I'm not quite sure what to do about this - a Monarch cat obviously found my frost cloth tent a good place to make his chrysalis, but it seems to be not quite complete - there is a little open "port" on the side that worries me. Think I'll put him inside the hoop house for now, and see if he makes it.

Anyone recall the miniature roses I posted back in early November (I think)? They were a gift from some dinner guests, and were a beautiful pale yellow color. They almost died before I managed to transplant a few of the 9 tiny plants that were in those two 4in. pots. I now have 4 fairly healthy tiny rose plants putting up more blooms again. But the blooms aren't yellow any more, they are ivory, blushed pink. Not complaining, they're lovely, but just mystified at the change.


Here they are when I first got them. Yes, 9 plants in two pots!

I am debating to start another thread for hobby stuff or pop it right in here as "what else do we grow".
I did "grow" another doll the last couple of weeks. A niece who does stand up comic, had asked me to make her a doll, but with some specifics, like add brown hair, a microphone, purple tunic and leggings and black slippers. Here she is, 25 inches tall, as I ship her out tomorrow. The little pocketbook holds more Mic- cord and a couple more necklaces.

I had a lot of fun making her!
Next time, is there sufficient interest to start up a specific thread for this sort of hobby?

That is just amazing, Ursula! No opinion on separate thread.

Thanks Carol!