Plant Mom: The Kids Are Alright

Hellooooooo! Yes, I am here, I am alive, and, dare I say, I am thriving. 

That was so many commas. 

Anyway, like I said in my last post, I've recently become more, I dunno, actually excited to do things. Sounds strange maybe but I started this blog because I wasn't able to drum up that level of excitement anymore. I'd always been the kind of person that had a lot of hobbies- I had to have something to do at all times- but over the past few years I've stopped feeling that strong pull to do and create things on a regular basis and to be perfectly honest that made me sad. Which, unsurprisingly, made me even less inclined to do things.

But hey, I've been killin' it lately. I have that glorious feeling of "there's not enough time in the day to do all the fun things!" which is insane but I'm almost trying not to think of it too much- I just want to keep riding this wave as long as possible. I will say that I have reached the conclusion that the weather affects me more than it used to and now that it's pretty consistently sunny and warm out, it's easier for me to find that mental energy to be super into things. I started this blog in October so maybe these gray New England winters are starting to wear on me (I know October isn't technically wintertime but in NE, it might as well be). I'll be more cognizant of that this year (and load up on vitamin D) but right now, how's about I tell you about my plants?

Ah yes, my plant children. One of my newish activities I seem to have an unending new-found enthusiasm for.  One of my favorite daily rituals is a plant check where stare doe eyed at all my plant's new growth. Sure I've had some recent deaths and subsequent acquisitions but overall I feel like I'm hitting my stride with plant motherhood- I have a better understanding of what plants might work in my space and with my plant-care habits. 

We'll start with my porch plants since that's where I currently am. 

My columbine are absolutely killing it. I thought it was a goner after getting rid of a bunch of dead stalks recently but apparently that was a good thing because it's looking healthier and is finally putting out more of it's beautiful flowers! This perfect beauty has 5 more pods around it, waiting to burst open.

Not only that, but when I took out the dead bits, I made sure to empty the seed pods into the pot. I'm glad I did because look at all the new growth under there!

My geranium are getting pretty large and in charge too, so much so that I'm starting to worry about where to put them once I bring them into the house when it turns cold. I may even need to repot them.

That's it for outside really. Inside, here's a semi-new addition, a peperomia obtusifolia aka baby rubber plant. With that name, I couldn't help but get it considering how much luck I've had with my real rubber plant.

The leaves are thick, almost like a succulent, but it isn't a succulent. That pot is made of basalt (a fine grained volcanic rock) and is really awesome. It has the same moisture absorbing properties as terra-cotta (perfect for over waterers like me) but with a cool brown/black color and a great feel.  I loved it so much I repotted my silver ann pothos into one, and will probably get more for future plants.

The pothos hasn't grown much since I got it but it also hasn't gotten much unhealthier either. I don't think it liked it's previous spot, nor did it enjoy it's pot which was probably too big for it (hot tip: bigger is not better with plant pots. It's more like a Goldilocks scenario- it needs to be just right) so hopefully it's happier in it's new pot at his new spot near the peperomia. 

Next up, my very newest acquisition, this calathea beauty star (who will be hanging out with her fellow calathea, the rattlesnake plant).

Look at those markings! Calatheas love humidity and filtered light and like hanging out with each other. So, you know, I definitely had to get this beauty star, right? The rattlesnake needed a friend, right?

They're definitely buds, just look at them. Also noteworthy: that rattlesnake guy has 3 new leaves coming up as we speak!

Ok, just kidding, I do have a newer plant than the beauty star, though it hasn't rooted yet.

I visited the future in-laws this past weekend and couldn't not ask to take away some cuttings of their impressively long philodendron brasil. I coated the ends in rooting hormone and stuck them in this jar of water- cross your fingers that at least most of these root so I too can have a glorious trailing plant!

Another success of mine is this african spear which has popped out not one but TWO new babies!

Can you see them? I think this is really happy with it's home (that table gets a ton of light during the day) and I've managed to leave it alone for once (it doesn't need or want much water). This is a pretty weird plant- I can't wait until it gets big!

Last but not least, an update on my oyster plant and string of pearls.

I thought the oyster plant was a goner. I watered the ever living shit out of it and also did some drastic things to try and get rid of a fungus gnat invasion but here in front of the super bright kitchen window it's slowly putting out new growth and it's gotten a ton of it's color back. 

The string of pearls is another succulent that hates too much water therefore should not be something I have but was too weird to pass up. It's slowly putting out new beads too and I've only watered it once (!). 

That's it for now. One day my plant updates won't fit into a reasonably sized post and I... don't mind. 

I'll let The Who play me out. Have a good day!