WELL HELLO!!
Wow...what an intro...and yet, no name other than all the plants.

You are already an accomplished lister as you were successful with your photos. RIGHT ON!...y'all (hehehe).

Your dorm room looks colorful. Glad to see that!

I write everyday, so....get good at it now and it will serve you well later! I know Jodi will chime in about your cocoa peat "stuff"...listed well, grasshopper. (don't know why I'm in a silly mood this morning, but it's a good thing)

Keep us posted. Glad your mother is an enabler. It's more fun that way! I think the rescued bulbs appreciate us a little more!
:-)
Kristi
(Spring, TX...were all y'all mean everyone and y'all means YOU!)

Welcome to the forum! Kristi's right... we now know the names of all your plants, but not yours! Should we call you AllStar... or?

Nice photos, and a very colorful dorm room! More color is on the way with those buds! Red Lion is a very lovely red, and I can't wait to see what that Phal looks like!

I never attended college, but I doubt I'd miss it if I had... school was not the high point of my life! I cringe when my son tells me about all the studying and paper writing he has to do... I'm glad you're having a good time, though... it's so important to get that education these days! And it's a time in your life that you'll treasure later, as you get older.

I'm in the Midwest, where the only accent is a "Chicago" accent, if you're from the city! Ya'll is rarely used... we're more apt to say "you guys" than "all ya'll"!

Be sure to post more pictures when your plants bloom! We love a good flower photo, as you can tell!

Kristi's right... I'm looking at that soil, and I'm trying really hard not to preach the basics of container gardening! ;-) Just be really careful about watering... that coir stuff has a tendency to wet unevenly, and to hold moisture for longer than it should around the root ball.

If you are interested in scoping out the different mediums that can be used, there's plenty of information in past posts. Being a student, I'm sure you'll sponge it up! :-)

Welcome! Kick back and relax... and enjoy Hippi Season with us!

Welcome to the forum! Nice plant and a very interesting mix, very eclectic, like me! You are doing something right to have the Phal blooming or spiking anyway - warmth and humidity should keep things going right! I have a dozen Phals and just love them for their ease of culture.

I see you first hippie has a pup ("Aspen", in actuality it will look exactly like the mother bulb, the fun will be in growing it big enough to bloom. Two years is about right though. 'Red Lion' is a very good variety to add; lovely, large, deep red blooms and a good grower as well.

Lastly I have to applaud you for keeping the "Lucky Bamboo" alive for so long, I just can not grow the things!

As for y'all comin from Bama, that's just alright with me and you ken use all the colloquialisms y'all want. I might be from Central Indiana, but my heart's in Dixie!

Again, WELCOME ABOARD, Y'ALL!

Rebecca

How're ya'll doin' this am? Welcome from Texas. I say ya'll to the dog, and make groceries, run a mop around the floor and I'm always fixin' to do something.
I've got a couple of named plants, George the pothos that has lived with me for 29 years and Harold the dracena who is almost as old. They are both planted in the back garden.

Hippis are an obsession to say the least. Wait'll ya'll get a load of Jodiks windowsills! CHAD is horrible on this forum, I have a list hundreds long!

I went to nursing school so didn't have to write papers all that much, more lab work than anything. And I do NOT miss it!
Tally HO!

Hi from Washington State where we are such a mixing pot that all accents are sort of comprehended and often used in our slang from down south to Korean, LOL.

What a wonderful enthusiasm and practice with your plants! I did not get into growing until I had a houseful of small children and needed to escape outside occassionally! That was many years ago and all the kids are grown which leaves more room in my house for plants. However, I now have two young Gordon Setters who would love to dismember my collection for the sheer puppyish joy of it....but as Kristi says, "Gordon Setters get their brains on their 3rd birthday" so maybe in another 2 years I can put some of my amies down lower again. Fortunately I have a garden room in the corner of the garage where dogs are not allowed, and I can spread things out under lights!

Well, we all will be glad to help you with Any questions (If we know the answers) and look forward to seeing the blooms on your flower children!

Duh, my name is Tally, I live in Galveston, TX. I've been gardening since I could crawl out to the dirt. I grow my hippis in the garden, in pots till they bloom then OUT WITH YOU!, luckily they like our climate.

If we don't know the answers we'll make them up, or ask Jodi.
Tally HO!

he he he...Laka's package of brains have arrived early. She is soooo calm and cute.

However, last night as I was rushing to get all hippis in the greenhouse, which is now filled to the gills, she had to "help" and was running around the yard with be strappy leaves in her mouth. Then, when I was just about finished and making the mad dash to save the eggplant and pepper plants and had put my huge plumeria by the enclosed porch to put it in, "WHAM"....it crashed over and broke. I didn't see who was involved, but a certain youngster looked guilty!

Sigh...she is calming down though...
:-)
K

Hey y'all! (I learned that living here in NC) Welcome! I'm a bit new myself and just learning - mostly by reading the forum and by accident. Nice job rescuing the Red Lion. They do look a bit strange with the albino scape thing but based on your pic it's doing well now. And no, it's not writing the papers I miss about college! ;-)
Alana

Welcome, Allstar, I, too, am from "Southern Alabama". I am in Mobile, not far from Univ of So Ala.-go by each time I go over to the Botanical Gardens. Are you anywhere close? I have some of the same plants that you do - Lucky Bamboo, Phals (3 with spikes), and my Hippis (none of which have names), which are increasing in number fast. I love this forum with all the friendly, knowledgeable people; I've learned so much since I began reading all the posts. It's been years since college but I did take the Master Gardener classes 4 years ago at the local Extension Office and ,WOW, that was hard on the brain, but well worth it.
Looking forward to seeing some blooms on Gigage!!!
Beverly

Yes, I do have a name. I was thinking about that as I was on my way to the forum today. I was just so caught up in my plants I forgot my own name! haha. My name's Katherine, but more commonly, I go by Kate.

Oh, don't worry Kristi and Jodi... I used the cocoa peat "nonsense" just for the first two or three days just to get some moisture to "wake up" roots. Put the roots in it, with the bulb on top of rocks to keep the bulb from getting wet. After that time, I put it in my usual mix - which I'm thinking about tweaking later after reading past posts and reading recommended articles by Jodi :). The cocoa peat I've learned to be nonsense after reading several posts about other rescue missions. :) I learn quickly! haha.

My lucky bamboo has been really interesting. It came in 3 stalks, but one just started looking bad so I separated it from the others. Then it just turned completely yellow, and I discarded it. I have a brita filter so I water with that - apparently the only thing they are picky about is water; the purer the better. I water weekly and TRY to clean the rocks and glass vase every time too. I feed it monthly or less with an African Violet fertilizer. It seems to be working well. New leaves are perkier and bottom leaves are not yellowing like they used to.

"CHAD is horrible on this forum, I have a list hundreds long!" - I must say, I agree 100%! I'm always afraid going into the store for more supplies. I never know what I'll leave with! haha. My friends in nursing school, well, sometimes I forget about them Tally! They're always studying or out doing clinical work!

Beverly, I was wondering when I saw your zone if you were in Mobile because that's where I am. Right down the road from South, actually, at Spring Hill! I've joined this forum for the same reasons you have. I can't get enough information! Master Gardener? I imagine that would be hard on the brain. Sometimes reading the deeper subjects on forums can be hard enough to read. Congratulations, though. Sounds like a title well earned! :)

I'm glad to have other "y'all" speakers! haha. My friend here at school is from Chicago, doesn't have too much of an accent, but we give him a hard time when he says "you guys" but even more trouble when he says, "y'all". What are friends for, right? haha

I'm also glad to see I'm not the only one that names plants, haha. Some of my family members hear I get a new plant and ask me what I've named it. If I say it doesn't have a name, someone in my family (usually brothers) will quickly give it a name.

Another thing, I get wordy on occasion. If that wasn't obvious already.. haha

Well, I must say, I look forward to learning more from all y'all or even with y'all. If there's anything I've learned from life so far (which may not be much because I'm only 21 years old, haha), it's that everyday is a chance to learn something new... about anything, from anyone. You just gotta keep your eyes and ears open!

Happy growing!
Kate (I remembered my name this time - yay!)

Hey allstar being new has load of advatages I know this by experiance there awsum folks here very informed and even more helpfull indeed.
Everything I know about hippes the one I have has teeth and it bite me. The hippies you posted make me want to check mine for teeth again.
I call my lucky bamboo lucky I'll grab a pic and post it someday, loyd looks very good.
Thanks for sharing
Wes

Well then... Kate, it is! So, welcome once again, Kate!

These guys and gals give me too much credit! There are plenty of other ways to grow and garden, and what works for one person might not work for someone else with a different environment to contend with... but I always feel obligated to share what I've learned, because I'd hate for someone to have to deal with the disappointment of rotting bulbs, or some other issue that could have been avoided if the knowledge was available. And so... share, I do!

Take what works, and leave the rest... the important thing is to have those of us who have gone before, lay it all out so others can choose the methods that work for them!

I just recently lost the last piece of bamboo that I had growing in water... about 5 years ago I bought several short bamboo pieces at the mall... they were under a dollar apiece! I kept them growing in a jelly jar for a long time, but they slowly began to yellow and die. I'm not really sure that "grow" is the right word... they didn't really grow very much, at all! They did more sitting around than anything!

I am glad that you read the articles, Kate... I wish I had known all that great information years ago! I could have saved myself a lot of disappointment... and a lot of plants! I'm actually still in the process of re-potting everything into the new medium, and I discovered a rotten bulb just this morning that was still floundering in the soil I used to use. I took some photos, and I should have them uploaded soon so I can share them.

My little Olde Bulldogge, Maia, took just around three years to mature to the point where she's calmer and more adult-like. Having a litter of pups seems to have matured her, as well. She's still rambunctious... just not so much in the house... and she respects her boundaries, and my stuff, more than she did when she was younger.

I think most dogs take a good three years to fully mature and calm. Why people want to rush into training and other grueling sports or activities before a dog is ready, I'll never know. I don't even begin strict obedience until a dog is about 6 months old... and I wait until the dog is mentally ready before embarking upon any other stressful training. It's too easy to ruin a good dog through rushing.

Anyway... I'm trying to get through another night of insomnia... so please excuse any rambling! It's good to have you with us, Kate! I hope you stick with this hobby... it's so rewarding!

Kate, you wrote "The cocoa peat I've learned to be nonsense after reading several posts about other rescue missions."
I don't think cocopeat is that useless, if I where you I'd give it another tought. I used it until I now tried Jodiks approach. It works really well for me, since I'm watering from below. That way the cocopeat won't get compacted. There are problems with newly planted bulbs since you can easily over-water your plants. If they have lots of leaves and roots this problem doesn't exist anymore because they're sucking the cocopeat dry in no time!

{{gwi:452720}}
Here are my seedlings from May 2007 ... they had some rough times before I could get them better conditions. In April 2008 I planted them in cocopeat, put them on this south-facing windowsill and left them there till now, before they where really tiny. At the moment they're resting in a friends basement.
I'm a student too and put a lot of effort in my plants alongside university.

GF, it is time you transplanted those seedlings into individual pots! And be prepared for a major tangled mass of roots! I neglected a couple of 3 gallon pots of just 5 seedlings each for a couple of years and you wouldn't believe the root systems they had!

If they are in growth now you will have to cut them back by half and then just dump the whole mess out on their side. You could pot several to a larger pot, but singly is generally better. Have any of these seedlings rolled off pups? Mine did even in the community pots.

What did you cross, or are these open pollinated? In other words, did you purposely make the cross (dab the pollen) that resulted in these seeds/seedlings?

Just curious! :-)

Rebecca

Rebecca, "open pollinated" - I've never heard that term before, but it makes sense! I think it means you put pollen on them then forget what you put where, right? ;-)
Alana

Rebecca: I presented the cross in my thread. For further discussion go there, I don't want to take over this one from Kate. They're just an example for the benefits of cocofibre ;P

Here is a link that might be useful: Greetings and so on ...

Kate and Jodi, FYI Lucky Bamboo is a member of the dracena family (D. sanderiana) can also be grown in soil just like a regular houseplant. Just something I found in my recent reading and I plan to take mine out of the water and rocks and try growing it in soil. Kate, if yours is turning yellow, it might respond to planting in potting soil.

Just a suggestion for when you have time since you are probably are getting ready for the holiday break in the next few weeks.
Beverly

Welcome Kate!
Susan

Thanks, Beverly! It's too late, as the last little bamboo stick died a while ago... but if I do ever get another bamboo plant, I'll remember to pot it in medium for better results.

One of my relatives has a large cut glass bowl filled with beautiful bamboo growing in water! The group is all woven and braided together, and looks very decorative. She keeps it in a dim bathroom in her Florida condo over summer, and when they go down for winter, she takes it out into more light... and it thrives for her! It's nice and green and healthy looking!

The few tiny stems I had never really grew much from either end, roots or leaves. They were just a cute novelty I thought I'd try. I will definitely remember that potting them will net better results!

GF, I was saying it was nonsense for a rescued bulb. I imagine, as you said, a bigger, rootier plant such as yours would benefit. But the rescued bulb has very little root.

Beverly, one stalk of the three I had turned yellow about this time last year. The other two are doing just fine in the rocks and water, so I have no clue what was going on with the one that yellowed. As the break heads my way, I will have a lot of planting to do. Some of the hippi seedlings I have are ready to be put in their own little pots now. I'm excited!

Thanks for all the feedback and "welcome"s!

What the heck is GF? Rebecca used it to ... girlfriend ... now that can't be right!

Then I got you wrong ... I thought you meant that cocopeat is nonsense regardless of the situation of the plant. At the moment my Picotee bulb is struggling in the cocofiber. First it decided to split into two and on both sides the new leaves stagnated. Now I've seen that it's pushing a stake, but I've got no idea how to water it ... I guess deep down there there's something wrong. It should be warm enough and I could keep myself away from watering again. *sigh*

Del is a part of my first name. Googleing npublici will give you the rest of the story.
Open pollination is the term used to describe letting nature do the pollinating; Bees, birds and various insects,and the wind. Open pollenation may produce a seedling of self pollenation, or a cross from wherever a bee has been, before he got to your flower. If there are Hippeastrum within two miles of you,a bee could bring pollen which would be the male parent to your seedlings.
If you peruse older postings,you will find where various forum members have posted links to photos of their seedlings. Some seedlings produced by forum members equal or surpass commercial varieties.
Del

Kate it is.. Hello once again
Snow today soon get to water lucky, but he not the only one who may be needing drink.

Did ya'll ever hear our former prez GW say ya'll? We would just roll around on the floor loao! You can really tell he's from the Northeast when he says ya'll. The man is NOT from Texas, never wore boots or belt buckles or said ya'll until he decided to run for prez, then he became a cowboy all of a sudden. And we got some great laughs, like the pic of him cutting brush on his land-with a chain saw!! Along the fence line! Hello! At least pose him in front of something BIG enough to use a chain saw on. Can you imagine trying to clear miles and miles of fence line with a chain saw??? LOL!
Tally Ho!

Del,

Thank you for clearing up the "open pollination" def!

GF is Girlfriend, good guess.

Off to read "Greetings and so on"

In that case ... der Klotz ain't no girl!

haha, yeah, I just called you GF because rebecca did. My apologies!

Around these parts, we use a machete to clear small brush and weeds from the fences, or we pull it out... the chainsaws are for actual trees! As we all know, pulling the stuff out by the roots will ensure it doesn't grow back for a while... until the next batch of weed seeds take over!

About cocopeat... I noticed three distinct things about it when I used it... 1) it stayed soggy for quite some time... 2) it didn't absorb water evenly... 3) it collapsed fairly fast.

Those three things made me rethink it as a bulb medium, and I'm glad I looked around for alternatives. By all means, if it works for you, use it... but for me, it's not conducive to good bulb health.

I just can't wait until my seedlings from various crosses are mature enough to bloom! That will be an accomplishment, I think!

Sorry about that Klotz, but that's the chance one takes when using and alias that isn't gender specific! And sometimes even when it is! LOL!

Rebecca

Jodik: I just wrote that you shouldn't reject cocopeat that easy, it has it's advantages!

No problem Rebecca. I just reused the name I have on the German plant forum, I'm also registered to. It translates to "concrete block", something that's totally masculine so I never thought I'd get these problems. I'd love to know how you'd pronounce Betonklotz ;)

I know you like cocopeat, Carl, and if you have decent results using it, that's good. For me, it's just too fine in particle size, and not a good choice for my environment.

The bottom line is, we each need to use what works the best for our growing conditions. Everyone grows a little bit differently, and their methods will reflect the environment they have to work with.

Take orchids, for example... several people have told me that sphagnum moss is what I should use... but it retains too much moisture, and I find bark works a lot better in my environment.

The important thing is that we know what choices are available... and that we're not stuck with only one option. :-)

I didn't mean anything else! I just wanted to say, "no cocopeat is not useless" it's a possible choice.

I know! :-)